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Transforming Pilgrimage Waste into Valuable Resources – A Dry Waste Management Triumph at Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra 2025

by:swachhjk August 7, 2025 0 Comments

Every year, the sacred journey of Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra brings lakhs of devotees together for a spiritual experience in the pristine mountains of Jammu & Kashmir. However, with such an influx comes a considerable challenge: managing the waste generated along the Yatra route, particularly at the base camps and lodgement centers. In 2025, the focus was sharp not just on waste disposal, but on turning waste into a resource.

Two major lodgement centers Bhagwati Nagar Base Camp and the Railway Head Complex served as the starting points for many yatris. Each day, approximately 80–200 kilograms of dry waste was collected from these sites. This included single-use plastic packaging, PET bottles, wrappers and other recyclable materials.

What made 2025 remarkable was the scientific processing and 100% recovery of this dry waste, thanks to the efficient system put in place by the authorities in collaboration with the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) at Bandurakh (MRF: Material Recovery Facility).

Once collected daily, the waste was transported to the Bandurakh MRF where it underwent two key processes:

  • Polypropylene (PP) Article Processing: All polypropylene-based dry waste was fed into shredding machines, where it was converted into plastic granules. These granules are valuable raw materials for plastic manufacturers who repurpose them into useful products like dustbins, plastic chairs and buckets, contributing to a circular economy.
  • Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) Waste Processing: For PET bottles and containers, baling machines were used to compress the waste into large bundles. These bales are then sent to certified recycling units, where the PET is transformed into polyester yarns a vital input in the textile industry for making fabrics and clothing.

Both processes ensured that waste never ended up in landfills or water bodies, but instead, re-entered the economy as valuable products.

At the heart of this transformation were four dedicated workers stationed at the Bandurakh MRF, who managed the segregation, shredding, baling and dispatching processes under the supervision of the plant-in-charge. Conversations with the MRF supervisor revealed how each type of dry waste was handled with care and sent only to certified recyclers, ensuring environmental compliance and maximum value recovery.

The success of this initiative lies not just in processing numbers, but in the vision of creating a cleaner, greener Yatra experience and setting a model for pilgrimage-linked waste management. This success story of dry waste management during Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra 2025 is a shining example of what responsible systems, dedicated manpower and eco-conscious planning can achieve. It is proof that even temporary events can leave behind a legacy of sustainability where waste becomes wealth and cleanliness becomes a collective commitment.

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