(HT)
In an effort to curb pollution in the Gangotri region, the local civic body has intensified efforts to collect clothes discarded by pilgrims into the Ganga (Bhagirathi) river, officials from the Gangotri Nagar Panchayat said on Monday.
They added that since the beginning of the Char Dham Yatra season, over two tonnes of clothing thrown into the river at various ghats near the Gangotri shrine have been retrieved.
Umesh Suyal, executive officer of the Gangotri Nagar Panchayat, said, “So far, we have collected more than two tonnes of clothes discarded by devotees at the ghats of the holy river. We plan to recycle these clothes into various items, including bags, with the help of self-help groups in the region.”
He added that Nagar Panchayat workers, along with personnel from the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), are working tirelessly to maintain cleanliness in and around the shrine and collect clothes trapped near nets in the river.
Suyal said that during last year’s Yatra season, nearly 22 tonnes of clothes, including sarees and other garments, were collected and recycled into colourful mats.
“This year, too, we are encouraging self-help groups from nearby villages to come forward and take up the recycling initiative,” he said.
To further discourage the practice, the SDRF has been requested to deploy more women personnel who can counsel female devotees against discarding clothes into the river and instead direct them to designated collection points.
“A large number of pilgrims visiting Gangotri Dham follow an age-old tradition of discarding old and new garments—sarees, dhotis, chunnis, etc.—into the river after bathing,” said Kusum Rana, former executive officer of the Gangotri Panchayat, adding , “To address this and protect the sanctity of the river, the recycling initiative was started in 2023.”
Suresh Semwal, secretary of the temple priest committee at Gangotri Dham, said, “Self-help groups should come forward to create handbags and other useful items from the discarded material. This will not only help in keeping the river clean but also provide livelihood opportunities.”
Members of the temple priest community echoed these sentiments, adding that support from the SDRF has been instrumental in making a significant difference in maintaining the river’s cleanliness.
Gangotri Dham is located on the right bank of Bhagirathi at an altitude of 3140 metres above sea level. According to Hindu tradition, Ganga descended from heaven to earth at Gangotri, when Lord Shiva released the mighty river from his locks. The actual origin of the river is at Gaumukh in the Gangotri glacier, 19 km away from Gangotri.
