Rishikesh is packed with devotees and tourists this Sawan season, just as it is every year, but growing heaps of garbage along the Ganga ghats and city roads are raising serious questions about the local cleaning arrangements.
Chants of "Bol Bam" echo as garbage piles up on the streets
Chants dedicated to Lord Shiva echo through the city, and large crowds of devotees are gathering at the Ganga ghats. A big number of Kanwariyas and pilgrims are arriving in Rishikesh. From early morning until late at night, markets, ghats and the main roads stay crowded with people. But along with this rising footfall, the amount of garbage piling up across the city is also increasing, and in several areas it is not being cleared on time. Plastic bottles, empty food packets and other kinds of waste can be seen scattered along the roadsides, while the areas around the ghats also show visible signs of filth. Local residents say Rishikesh's identity itself is tied to the Ganga and religious tourism, so if pilgrims keep seeing garbage piled up everywhere, it sends the wrong message about the city.
Crowds have grown, but the cleaning setup hasn't kept pace
Local resident Narendra Giri said that every year during Sawan, such a large number of devotees arrive, but the cleaning arrangements do not seem to scale up in proportion. According to him, cleaning does take place in the mornings, but within a few hours garbage piles up again. He said the city welcomes visitors and pilgrims coming from outside, but the city also needs to stay clean at the same time. He added that the filth spread across the ghats and roads causes daily trouble for local residents as well.
More sweepers alone won't fix it, awareness is needed too
Giri said simply increasing the number of sanitation workers will not be enough to solve the problem entirely. He said awareness also needs to be spread among devotees and tourists on this issue. His suggestion is that a sufficient number of dustbins should be placed at various spots across the city, and people should be told not to throw garbage on the road or at the ghats. He believes that if a continuous and regular cleaning system is put in place in crowded areas, the situation can improve significantly.
Traffic and other systems are also under pressure
The rise in crowds in Rishikesh during Sawan puts pressure not just on cleanliness but also on traffic and other civic arrangements. This makes it necessary for the administration to put in place additional and concrete steps for cleanliness, so that the crowds of devotees flocking to the banks of the Ganga also find a clean city waiting for them. Residents feel that if the cleaning system keeps pace with the rising footfall, Rishikesh can protect its identity as a spiritual and tourist hub without losing the trust of the pilgrims who come here.
