Waste generation in Kedarnath has skyrocketed, with the holy shrine producing 50.30 metric tonnes of waste in just a five-month span from April to August 2026. This alarming figure, revealed through an RTI inquiry filed by Noida activist Amit Gupta, is more than two and a half times the total waste collected during the entire pilgrimage season of the previous year.
Key Highlights of the RTI Data
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Staggering Surge in Volume: The waste produced between April and August 2026 far exceeds any single year’s total over the preceding three years. Annual waste generation stood at 32.58 metric tonnes in 2023, 26.10 metric tonnes in 2024, and 21.40 metric tonnes in 2025.
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Comparative Spikes: The 2026 five-month total is approximately 54% higher than the entirety of 2023, 93% higher than 2024, and 135% higher than 2025.
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Monthly Breakdown: Waste generation peaked heavily during the initial summer rush, recording 1.7 tonnes in April, jumping to 16.3 metric tonnes in May, 11.5 tonnes in June, 10.5 tonnes in July, and 10.3 tonnes in August.
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Plastic Waste and Processing: Of the total volume, 20 metric tonnes comprised plastic waste alone. The Nagar Panchayat reported that 18.5 metric tonnes (92.5%) of this plastic have been successfully processed, leaving about 1.5 metric tonnes unprocessed.
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Infrastructure Pressures: With approximately 1.5 million pilgrims visiting Kedarnath so far this year, the mounting footfall has placed immense strain on local waste management. The Nagar Panchayat noted that four landfills have been built over the past five years, leaving a remaining landfill capacity of 28,000 square feet out of a total 30,000 square feet.
Note: Environmentalists and activists have raised deep concerns over the heavy reliance on landfills in a fragile Himalayan ecosystem, warning that unchecked tourism threatens to turn the sacred pilgrimage site into a dumping ground.
