Punjab Newsline | Jammu
Amarnath Yatra 2026 is set to become India’s first 'Zero Landfill Pilgrimage', marking a major step toward sustainable religious tourism. The annual pilgrimage, running from July 3 to August 28, is expected to attract more than 400,000 devotees, with authorities ensuring that none of the waste generated during the event ends up in landfills.
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has launched an ambitious waste management initiative aimed at converting all pilgrimage waste into reusable resources. As part of the plan, mule dung will be processed into biogas, while scientific methods will be used to manage both solid and liquid waste across the pilgrimage routes.
To reduce plastic pollution, Water ATMs have been installed along the route, encouraging pilgrims to refill reusable bottles instead of purchasing single-use plastic containers.
The initiative is being implemented jointly by SWAHA Resource Management and the Rural Sanitation Department of Jammu and Kashmir. Officials estimate that nearly 700 metric tonnes of waste will be generated during the pilgrimage.
Dustbins have been installed along both the Baltal and Pahalgam routes, while dedicated sanitation teams are collecting, segregating, and scientifically processing waste throughout the pilgrimage.
According to Director General of the Rural Sanitation Department Anu Malhotra, sanitation workers have been collecting waste since the very first day of the yatra, with high-end processing machines ensuring environmentally responsible disposal and recycling.
