Soldiers are guarding the route of the ongoing annual ‘Amarnath Yatra’ in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Amarnath Yatra is set to become the country’s first ‘Zero Landfill Pilgrimage’. More than four lakh devotees will participate in this pilgrimage, which runs from July 3 to August 28. Despite this, no waste will go to landfills.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has set a target to make the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra-2026 a ‘Zero Landfill Pilgrimage’. Under this, the waste generated along the pilgrimage route is being converted into resources. Biogas will be produced from mule dung.
Water ATMs have been installed to reduce plastic waste, and solid and liquid waste is being managed scientifically along the entire route. This initiative is being undertaken by Swaha Resource Management and the Rural Sanitation Department of Jammu and Kashmir.
Devotees departing towards the holy Amarnath cave from the Baltal route.
700 metric tons of waste will be generated
Approximately 700 metric tons of waste will be generated here. For this, dustbins have been installed along both the Baltal and Pahalgam routes, and special cleaning teams have been deployed to collect and scientifically dispose of both solid and liquid waste.
Anu Malhotra, Director General of the Rural Sanitation Department, states that sanitation workers have been continuously collecting waste since the very first day of the pilgrimage, and it is being scientifically processed through high-end machines.
Shivling in Amarnath cave melts slowly
The natural ice Shivling in the Amarnath cave has almost completely melted. Only five days of the pilgrimage have passed. The 57-day pilgrimage started on July 3.
In the first four days of the pilgrimage, about 86,000 devotees visited the holy cave. According to officials, this number is expected to cross 1 lakh on Tuesday, the fifth day.
This year, 4 lakh devotees have registered for the pilgrimage. This means that more than 3 lakh devotees are yet to have darshan.
Registration slots booked till July 9, administration says – new pilgrims should wait a few days
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has asked pilgrims reaching Amarnath without registration to postpone their journey for a few days. According to the administration, all registration slots are fully booked till July 9.
In such a situation, if any pilgrim tries to proceed via Baltal or Pahalgam route without registration, they will be stopped at check points. They will only be allowed to proceed after July 9. Officials said that from Sunday, only registered pilgrims will be allowed to proceed towards Kashmir.
Shivling in Amarnath cave completely melted
The ice Shivling of Amarnath is not carved from a block of ice, but is a natural ice stalagmite. Just as stalagmites are formed in limestone caves by mineral deposits from the ground, similarly, in the Amarnath cave, water dripping from the ceiling freezes to form the ice Shivling.
Its size varies every year according to weather, temperature, and water availability. This is its most unique characteristic.
2 Routes for the Yatra, one 48km long but easy, the other 14km but a difficult climb
Amarnath Yatra is undertaken via two routes. The traditional route is 48 kilometers long from Nunwan-Pahalgam. The second route is 14 kilometers long from Baltal in Ganderbal district. The pilgrimage will conclude on August 28.
