Shillong, July 7: The Jammu and Kashmir government has taken significant steps to transform the annual Amarnath Yatra into a zero-waste journey by promoting cleanliness, waste management, and responsible tourism.
Collaborating with the Rural Development Department (RDD) and Swaaha Resource Management, the government has introduced various innovative measures. These include the distribution of reusable cloth bags, waste process monitoring, and the creation of a yatra anthem for sustainable tourism.
To promote responsible tourism practices, a yatra anthem has been created, along with the implementation of a management information system (MIS) portal and web app for efficient waste process monitoring.
The government aims to bring about a behavioral change among pilgrims and establish a solid waste management model that can be replicated in other pilgrimages. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has emphasized the importance of instilling a sense of responsibility towards the environment among the pilgrims and commended the RDD and Swaaha Resource Management for their remarkable work.
Efforts are being made to shift the focus of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) campaigns towards behavioral change communication. The distribution of reusable cloth bags has been a notable measure to encourage pilgrims to avoid single-use plastic.
The waste management model developed for the Amarnath Yatra has been highly successful, prompting the Lieutenant Governor to consider implementing a similar model for other pilgrimages under the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB).
As per IANS, Various tools and materials, such as inflatable mascots, touch screen kiosks, audio jingles, guidelines, posters, banners, and free reusable cloth bags, have been designed to educate and sensitize pilgrims and stakeholders about cleanliness and zero landfill.
Feedback from the yatris has reflected the achievements in conducting the yatra this year, highlighting the focus on sanitation, sustainability, and zero landfill to preserve the spiritual, cultural, economic, and ecological values associated with the pilgrimage.
In the recent Amarnath Yatra, a total of 18,354 pilgrims, including males, females, children, sadhus, and sadhvis, were able to perform darshan at the Amarnath cave shrine. The cumulative number of yatris who have undertaken darshan since the beginning of the yatra stands at 67,566.