Huge pile-up of garbage at Charmadi Ghat despite efforts to maintain cleanliness during 'Padayatra'

Kottigehara: Waste disposed on the roadside has become a nightmare after thousands of devotees marched to Dharmasthala via Banakal, Kottigehara, and Charmadi Ghat on the occasion of Mahashivratri.

At Charmadi Ghat, donors offered food articles to devotees, resulting in plastic plates, plastic cups, and water bottles piling up along the road. Even though garbage bags have been installed along the Charmadi Ghat, the garbage is dumped everywhere, resulting in heaps of garbage piled up on the forest boundary.

Waste and plastic were also seen in the streams that flow through Charmadi Ghat and join the Netravati river. There are fears that plastic and other waste may be ingested by wildlife.

Though the district administration and taluk administration had taken necessary steps to maintain cleanliness even before the start of the padayatra this year, they have been unsuccessful in keeping the garbage out of the pristine forests due to behavioral challenges.

Harsha Kumar, Taluk Executive Officer, Mudigere said that the administration has given top priotrity to cleanliness. “This year donors distributed food items along the road to the devotees marching on foot. Next year the distribution of meals and snacks will be restricted to designated areas,” he added.

Locals also voiced similar opinions. Some said that more is required to be done for preserving the environment and cleanliness. Sagar Thaaruve, a local said that there should be a complete ban on the use of plastics during the padayatra. The devotees should also cooperate to maintain cleanliness, he added.