Kanwar Yatra Leaves Behind Mountains Of Garbage In Uttarakhand; 7,000 Tonnes Cleared In Haridwar

The annual Kanwar Yatra may have ended, but Uttarakhand is now facing a massive waste problem after nearly five crore pilgrims visited Haridwar to collect Ganga water during Sawan. As devotees returned after Shivratri, heaps of discarded clothes, plastic waste and Kanwar structures were left behind across the pilgrimage city.

Haridwar Ghats Buried Under Waste

Visuals from Haridwar showed discarded clothing, plastic items and parts of Kanwars scattered across the ghats, including Har Ki Pauri, the city's most iconic ghat.

The mess extended to changing rooms, where discarded water bottles filled with urine were reportedly found. Videos showed sanitation workers removing the bottles using shovels without gloves or masks.

The condition of the ghats has triggered outrage among locals, with residents questioning how devotees could undertake long journeys to worship the Ganga and then leave the riverfront littered with waste.

7,000 Tonnes Of Garbage Removed

Authorities said around 7,000 tonnes of garbage had been transported to dumping grounds in Haridwar following the yatra.

Municipal Commissioner Nandan Kumar said sanitation teams worked through the night after Shivratri to clean the ghats, parking areas and roads.

"Following Shivratri yesterday, all our teams worked through the night to clean the ghats, as well as all parking areas and roads," Kumar said.

Gangotri Also Struggles With Pilgrimage Waste

The waste problem has extended beyond Haridwar and Rishikesh to the higher reaches of Uttarakhand.

Around 57,000 pilgrims visited Gangotri during Sawan, according to the figures cited. The pilgrims left behind discarded clothes, plastic and other waste along the route and around the pilgrimage site.

The accumulation is particularly concerning because Gangotri is a designated plastic-free zone and lies within the ecologically sensitive Himalayan ecosystem.

Environmental concerns extend beyond the visual impact, with plastic waste posing risks to forests, wildlife and the fragile local ecosystem.

57 Sacks Of Waste Collected At Gangotri

The Forest Department conducted a special cleanliness drive in Gangotri after the conclusion of the Kanwar Yatra.

During the operation, workers collected 57 sacks of waste for disposal.

The scale of the clean-up has renewed concerns over the environmental impact of large religious gatherings in Uttarakhand, particularly in areas where fragile ecosystems face increasing pressure from pilgrim and tourist footfall.