Haridwar: The annual Kanwar Yatra concluded with millions of devotees collecting holy Ganga water from Haridwar, but the pilgrimage has left behind an enormous sanitation challenge, with nearly 7,000 metric tonnes of garbage scattered across the city’s ghats and mela grounds.
An estimated 4.8 crore Kanwar pilgrims visited Haridwar during the yatra. As the crowds departed after Shivratri, heaps of discarded clothing, slippers, plastic waste, Kanwar structures and bottles filled with urine were found across several locations, raising concerns over hygiene and environmental damage.
Har Ki Pauri, the city’s most prominent ghat, was among the worst affected areas. Women’s changing rooms were reportedly found filled with garbage and unhygienic waste, while sanitation workers began clearing the accumulated debris from the riverfront and surrounding public spaces.
To restore cleanliness, the Haridwar Municipal Corporation and district administration have launched a special sanitation campaign that will continue until August 18. Around 1,000 sanitation workers have been deployed, supported by more than 80 garbage collection vehicles operating across the city.
In a first for the pilgrimage cleanup, drone cameras are being used to identify garbage hotspots and monitor sanitation conditions in real time. The aerial surveillance allows cleaning teams to respond quickly to areas with heavy waste accumulation.
Authorities have also begun trialling smart solar sensor dustbins that automatically alert sanitation teams when they reach full capacity. Alongside municipal workers, local NGOs, civil society organisations and Swachhta Doot volunteers have been stationed at the ghats to manage waste collection and encourage visitors to maintain cleanliness.
The week long operation aims to restore the sacred Ganga riverfront after one of the country’s largest religious gatherings while highlighting the growing challenge of managing waste generated during mass pilgrimages.
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