Amidst the bustling pilgrimage of the Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand, devotees face the chaos of traffic jams and other issues. Yet, the influx of people has inadvertently provided a lucrative opportunity for the local municipalities by converting a plastic menace into a monetary windfall. Joshi Math Municipality is now earning substantially from this waste.
The Chamoli-Joshi Math Municipal Council has earned over 1 crore rupees from more than 3 tons of plastic waste collected. To combat increasing litter at religious sites, Chief Minister Dhami has also initiated a cleaning campaign in the mountains.
Revenue from Waste: 1 Crore Milestone
Joshi Math Municipal administration has collected over 3 tons of plastic waste from the Char Dham Yatra route. The recycling of this waste has generated earnings of 1.02 crores rupees. Joshi Math to Pandukeshwar, key pitstops on the journey to Badrinath, Hemkund Sahib, and the Valley of Flowers, fall under the responsibility of the Joshi Math Municipality for cleanliness.
Source: aajtak
In the past month, over two and a half lakhs of water, cold drink, and beverage bottles were collected. Including other plastic waste, the total amount of plastic collected sums up to three tons.
The gathered waste is being compacted into blocks using a compactor machine, recycled, and monetized. Joshi Math Municipality has designated 'Environmental Friends' for cleanliness from Joshi Math to Pandukeshwar, and 22 workers are deployed for the disposal of plastic waste.
Source: aajtak
Highway Jams Due to Char Dham Pilgrimage
With the abolition of the registration requirement for the Char Dham Yatra, the heavy flow of vehicles on Badrinath and Kedarnath highways has significantly increased, leading to frequent traffic jams. Travelers are particularly facing difficulties due to congestion in the main market areas of Rudraprayag.
