Kedarnath generates 50.3 tonnes of waste in 5 months, 2.5 times last year's total

Kedarnath Dham in Uttarakhand generated 50.30 metric tonnes of waste between April and August 2026, more than two-and-a-half times the amount collected during the entire pilgrimage season last year, according to information shared by the Nagar Panchayat in response to an RTI query.

The data, sought by RTI activist Amit Gupta from Uttar Pradesh's Noida, also showed that the waste generated in the first five months of 2026 was higher than the total waste produced in any full year over the previous three years.

According to the local civic body, waste generation in Kedarnath was 32.58 metric tonnes in 2023, 26.10 metric tonnes in 2024 and 21.40 metric tonnes in 2025.

In comparison, the shrine town generated 50.30 metric tonnes of waste from April to August 2026 alone. The data showed that this was about 54 per cent higher than the total for 2023, around 93 per cent higher than 2024 and about 135 per cent higher than 2025.

Month-wise, waste generation stood at 1.7 metric tonnes in April, rose to 16.3 metric tonnes in May, and was 11.5 metric tonnes in June, 10.5 metric tonnes in July and 10.3 metric tonnes in August.

The Nagar Panchayat also said Kedarnath has generated around 20 metric tonnes of plastic waste so far in 2026. Of this, 18.5 metric tonnes, or 92.5 per cent, has been processed, while about 1.5 metric tonnes remains.

The civic body said Kedarnath's landfill capacity is 30,000 square feet, with 28,000 square feet remaining. It also said four landfills have been built in Kedarnath over the past five years.

Gupta said dependence on landfills amid rising waste levels raises serious concerns for the Himalayan environment, especially with large numbers of pilgrims and tourists visiting this ecologically sensitive region every year.

Around 1.5 million pilgrims have visited Kedarnath so far this year, he said, adding that the figures revealed through the RTI enquiry showed growing pressure on the town's waste management system.

Gupta said, "The generation of waste in Kedarnath over just five months, far exceeding the volume produced during entire pilgrimage seasons in previous years, poses a grave threat to our environment. We ourselves are primarily responsible for turning a sacred and ecologically sensitive place like Kedarnath into a dumping ground."