The Global Interfaith WASH Alliance (GIWA) came together during the recent Kunwad Mela to make the provisions of 20 Dustbins to be placed on the Neelkanth- Kanwad Yatra Marg.
Shri Gopal Ram Binwalji, Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) of Haridwar, personally came to get them placed in the Kanwar Mela region. The SDM said that the Kanwar Mela of Uttarakhand is a very important event, especially for Swargashram, Rishikesh and Haridwar, as Lord Shiva devotees from all parts of India come on foot for this month-long, monsoon season festival. He said that it is vital to provide necessary service to these devotees. These dustbins will help to inspire them to preserve the beautiful, sacred environment of these pilgrimage sites. He lauded and appreciated HH Pujya Swami Chidanand Saraswatiji for leading the way and inspiring these efforts. He also requested other organisations to come forward to support this initiative.
Each dustbin had especially been designed to have separate compartments for organic and inorganic waste. They are also “animal proof” so that monkeys and other stray animals would not tamper with the trash, especially as much of the route that they were being placed along was the eco-sensitive Rajaji National Park route. They had been painted green to look attractive and were printed with messages of Swachta Kranti to inspire the Kanwar Yatris to support the Swachh Bharat Mission, India (Clean India Mission). The district administration agreed to emptying and properly disposing the waste every day throughout the mela. In addition to this, messages and signs were placed along the route to remind yatris to keep the region clean and green.
