Dehradun: The state government has directed the Wildlife Institute of India (WII), Dehradun, to assess the pilgrim carrying capacity along the pilgrimage track of Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri, Badrinath, and Hemkund Sahib, officials said on Tuesday.
This follows the National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) directive to the Uttarakhand government on July 31 to submit an affidavit detailing the pilgrim carrying capacity for the pilgrimage centers in Uttarakhand, in response to concerns over the potential risks associated with overcrowding.
Parag Madhukar Dhakate, member secretary of the State Pollution Control Board, said, “In compliance with the NGT’s order, we have asked the WII to assess and submit a comprehensive report on the capacity of pilgrims at Kedarnath Dham, Gangotri Dham, Yamunotri Badrinath Dham and at Hemkund Sahib, waste disposal facilities, the number of mules and horses operating on the routes, and issues related to their management.”
Dhakate added that the report will assist the state government in managing the Kanwar Yatra more effectively and ensuring that the environment, including the Himalayan range, is not adversely impacted.
On July 31, the tribunal, which was hearing a petition regarding large-scale violations of environmental norms, including unregulated equine dung, waste, and carcasses along the four pilgrim tracks, noted that in the absence of a fixed carrying capacity for pilgrims at the Char Dham shrines, the state government must explain who would be held responsible in case of any mishap.
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The NGT’s order read, “It is undisputed before the tribunal that as of today, there is no carrying capacity fixed, even on an ad-hoc basis, for the pilgrims on the tracks of Shri Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri, and there is no restriction on the number of pilgrims on those tracks.”
The order further stated, “In these circumstances, we direct the secretary, environment department, to appear through virtual mode on the next date of hearing and disclose his stand in respect of the submission of the counsel for the applicant about any untimely mishap in the absence of a carrying capacity, and how the loss in such a case would be compensated and who will be held responsible for it.”
After the secretary, environment, state of Uttarakhand, failed to appear virtually during the November 13 hearing, the NGT said, “In spite of the above direction (July 31 order), the Secretary, Environment, State of Uttarakhand will comply with the previous order and remain virtually present on the next date of hearing, January 9, 2025.”
To be sure, chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami directed officials in May this year to assess the carrying capacity of the Char Dham shrines as well as other key locations along the yatra route. “Every year the number of devotees in Char Dham Yatra is increasing rapidly. Apart from the carrying capacity of the Char Dhams, it is necessary to assess the carrying capacity of devotees and vehicles at other places on the Yatra route. Proposals related to parking and basic needs on the Char Dham yatra routes and important places should be sent to the Housing Department,” he said.
The number of Char Dham pilgrims has surged dramatically from 1.2 million in 2000 to over 4.8 million this year, causing overcrowding in the fragile Himalayan valleys. This year, 4.8 million pilgrims visited Char Dham and Hemkund Sahib shrines, including 1.42 million at Badrinath, 1.65 million at Kedarnath, 0.81 million at Gangotri, and 0.71 million at Yamunotri. In 2022, the yatra saw a record 4.6 million pilgrims, while 2021 and 2020 had lower numbers due to COVID-19.
Following the 2013 Kedarnath tragedy, the Supreme Court-appointed High Powered Committee (HPC) had recommended limiting the number of daily pilgrims: 5,000 at Kedarnath, 6,000 at Badrinath, 3,500 at Yamunotri, and 4,000 at Gangotri.
