The rising waste generation rates in Kedarnath are causing serious concern. According to data, 50.30 metric tons of garbage were collected during the period from April to August 2026. This volume exceeds the amount of waste collected throughout the entire tourist season last year by more than two and a half times.
This information was provided by the municipal administration in response to a Freedom of Information (RTI) request submitted by Noida activist Amit Gupta. Receiving this response has once again sparked discussions about the cleaning system and the environmental condition in Kedarnath.
According to statistical data published by the municipal administration, 32.58 metric tons of garbage were collected in 2023. In 2024, this figure was 26.10 metric tons, and in 2025, it decreased further to 21.40 metric tons. However, only in the first five months of 2026 were 50.30 metric tons removed.
This 2026 figure is approximately 54% higher than the total waste volume for 2023. It also almost exceeds the 2024 volume by 93% and is 135% more than in 2025.
Monthly reports confirm this trend: in April 2026, 1.7 metric tons of garbage were collected. In May, this volume increased to 16.3 metric tons, and in June—11.5 metric tons, July—10.5 metric tons, and August—10.3 metric tons. May showed the highest collection level.
This indicates that along with the increase in pilgrims, the amount of waste is also growing. The municipal administration also provided details on plastic waste: to date in 2026, about 20 metric tons of plastic have been collected, of which 18.5 metric tons, or 92.5%, have been recycled. About 1.5 metric tons of plastic still remains.
The situation is aggravated by the fact that plastic disposal in mountainous regions is extremely difficult. The municipal administration notes that the total capacity of the landfill in Kedarnath is 30,000 square feet, of which 28,000 square feet remain. Four such landfills have been created in Kedarnath over the past five years.
Nevertheless, activist Amit Gupta warns that dependence on landfills amid increasing waste could pose a danger to the Himalayan ecology. He believes that the current situation in such a sensitive region is a serious warning.
Gupta also reported that approximately 1.5 million pilgrims have visited Kedarnath so far. This large influx of people puts additional pressure on waste management and cleaning systems. He emphasized the need to protect the sacred and vulnerable site from turning into a dump, insisting that environmental safety must be treated with the same seriousness as the organization of pilgrimage routes.