After 17 lakh pilgrims, Kedarnath faces biggest waste challenge, record 2,300-ton garbage crisis hits holy shrine
This year, Kedarnath saw nearly 18 lakh pilgrims—and more garbage than ever before. Once the shrine's doors closed, workers and volunteers launched a long clean-up drive, removing over 2,300 tons of waste from the temple area and the 18-km trekking route.
Kedarnath: When the doors of the sacred Kedarnath shrine closed on October 23, silence returned to the high Himalayan valley. But beneath that silence lay the heavy remains of the pilgrimage season—mountains of garbage left by nearly 17.68 lakh devotees who had visited the holy site over six months. What followed was one of the biggest clean-up efforts the region had ever seen.
This year, more than 2,324 tons of waste were collected from Kedarnath Dham, its trekking route, and the nearby markets and stops. This included everything from plastic bottles and raincoats to discarded food packaging, horse and mule dung, and other waste left behind by thousands of daily visitors. Compared to the previous year, the waste had increased by more than 325 tons, a rise that worried both environmental workers and local authorities.
Increasing pilgrims' footfall mounting pressure on fragile mountains
Kedarnath, located deep in the Himalayan region, has always welcomed pilgrims with devotion and natural beauty. But the increasing number of visitors has also meant increasing pressure on the fragile mountains. Many pilgrims unknowingly carry plastic and other disposable items and leave them behind on the trekking route or near the shrine. Over the months, this waste accumulates, threatening the environment and the purity of the sacred place.
Massive clean-up drive by Sulabh International
To deal with this, Sulabh International, which is responsible for maintaining cleanliness across Kedarnath Nagar Panchayat, Sonprayag, Gaurikund, Sitapur, Phata, and Rampur, launched a large-scale clean-up drive. More than 450 "environmental friends” worked daily, even after the shrine had closed, to collect waste from the steep paths, markets, and camping sites.
The process is not easy. Waste collected at the Dham is transported down to Gaurikund by horses, mules, and workers. From there, organic waste travels nearly 70 km to Rantoli near Rudraprayag, where it is processed. Plastic waste and animal dung are handled using special machines near Sonprayag. The transportation alone costs several lakhs every season, making waste management one of the toughest tasks in Kedarnath.
Ten-day post-season clean-up finally cleared the trekking route
According to Dhananjay Pathak, in-charge of Sulabh International, the biggest challenge is the constant increase in the number of pilgrims. While devotion grows each year, so does the responsibility of keeping the mountains clean.
The ten-day post-season clean-up finally cleared the trekking route, the meadows, and the Dham, restoring Kedarnath’s pristine beauty, for now. But the rising waste also serves as a reminder. If pilgrims, authorities, and communities do not come together to protect the Himalayas, the holy mountains may struggle to carry the burden of faith in the years to come.