Kedarnath Dham
A case of administrative negligence has come to light in Kedarnath Dham, one of the Char Dhams. An RTI has revealed that several tonnes of untreated garbage is being dumped in the wells surrounding the Dham. The dumping of garbage in this sensitive area has increased concern among environmental lovers.
An environmentalist from Noida, Uttar Pradesh, said from information received through RTI that between 2022 and 2024, a total of 49.18 tonnes of untreated waste was dumped in two wells near the temple at Kedarnath Dham.
Garbage increases year after year.
According to the information received from RTI, a continuous increase in the amount of garbage has been observed during this period. 13.20 tons of waste have been generated in 2022, 18.48 tons in 2023 and 17.50 tons of waste so far this year. During this period, 23.30 tons of inorganic waste were also generated.
Questioning RTI activist Amit Gupta, Public Information Officer of Kedarnath Nagar Panchayat said that all these wastes have been recycled. Gupta said that the information received from RTI about the generation of garbage and its lack of treatment is shocking. This makes it clear that there is no waste management system there.
The Prime Minister had raised the issue.
Gupta said that the Kedarnath temple is located at an altitude of 12,000 feet, where there are also glaciers. This area is sensitive from an environmental point of view. This issue was also raised by the Prime Minister in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme, but the authorities have not taken any concrete measures to prevent plastic waste. The moats near the temple are almost full and if this continues, the possibility of a tragedy like the one in 2013 cannot be ruled out.
No complaint was filed.
He said that in the RTI response it has been said that during this period the waste was disposed of irresponsibly, but the administration neither registered any complaint in this regard nor took any action.
The RTI activist said that for the last two years he himself has been writing letters to the authorities and filing complaints in this matter. He has also complained about this to the National Green Tribunal (NGT) and the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG). Following the complaint, Ganga Mission had directed the Rudraprayag administration to take action in this regard.
