Jyotirmath Municipality Turns Plastic Waste into Profit, Earns One Crore from Recycling Efforts
Image Credit: News9live
The Jyotirmath Municipal Corporation in Uttarakhand has turned a significant environmental challenge into a lucrative opportunity. By recycling plastic bottles discarded by pilgrims and tourists, the municipality has earned an impressive one crore rupees over the past 14 years.
With Uttarakhand experiencing a surge in tourism, particularly due to the Char Dham Yatra, garbage disposal has become a pressing issue. The state sees a massive influx of pilgrims and tourists annually, resulting in an exponential increase in plastic waste. Piles of discarded plastic bottles are a common sight along yatra routes and at various tourist spots.
To tackle this issue, the Jyotirmath municipality, formerly known as Joshimath, decided to capitalize on the waste. Over the last 14 years, the municipality has collected and recycled over three tonnes of plastic bottles, generating an income of Rs 1.02 crore.
Hayat Singh Rautela, the executive officer of the Jyotirmath Municipal Corporation, stated, “Since 2010, we have successfully earned 1.02 crore by recycling plastic bottles discarded by tourists.” The municipality, responsible for cleaning key halts along the Badrinath, Hemkund Sahib, and Valley of Flowers routes, has collected more than 2.5 lakh bottles in the past month alone.
Increased focus on improving working conditions and all-weather roads has led to a sharp rise in the number of travellers and tourists. According to the Social Development Community (SDC), a Dehradun-based organization, this influx has led to a significant increase in plastic waste, including layer bags, straws, carrier bags, and other packaging materials.
To manage this waste, Jyotirmath Municipality has deployed “Paryavaran Mitra” (Friends of Environment) who collect plastic waste from tourist spots with the help of 22 workers. The waste is then collected and recycled.
In a bid to make Kedarnath Tirtha free from plastic pollution, the Rudra Prayag district administration has installed two vending machines at Gauri Kund and Kedarnath Tirtha. Passengers can insert QR-enabled plastic water bottles into these machines and get Rs 10 cash back, which is digitally transmitted through the Unified Payment Interface System (UPI).
Plastic waste remains a serious concern, especially during the pilgrimage season. Data from urban local bodies reveals that Kedarnath produces 1.5-2 tonnes of waste per day, Badrinath generates 2.5-3 tonnes, Gangotri produces 4 tonnes, and Yamunotri generates nearly one tonne of waste daily.
By turning waste into a revenue stream, the Jyotirmath Municipal Corporation has set an example of how environmental challenges can be addressed through innovative and sustainable practices.
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- Yangchula Bhutia is a budding journalist currently pursuing her Master's degree in Journalism at Jadavpur University. Her passion lies in environmental issues, and she aspires to make a difference through impactful storytelling focused on environmental challenges and solutions.
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