Kedarnath generates over 50 tonnes of waste in five months, surpassing annual totals

Kedarnath Dham generated 50.30 metric tonnes of waste between April and August 2026, more than two and a half times the volume collected during the entire previous pilgrimage season.

The Nagar Panchayat revealed that waste generation stood at 32.58 tonnes in 2023, 26.10 tonnes in 2024, and 21.40 tonnes in 2025, compared to 2026's five-month figure.

Approximately 1.5 million pilgrims visited Kedarnath this year, raising environmental concerns regarding mounting pressure on the region's 30,000 square-foot landfill capacity.