How Uttarakhand plans to reduce plastic waste on the Char Dham Yatra and beyond

The Himalayan State is implementing a QR code-based project to prevent littering & reduce plastic waste on the Char Dham Yatra route with plastic bottles and packets

Small steps can bring significant changes. Uttarakhand tourism secretary Sachin Kurve has confirmed that the Uttarakhand government has chosen the Char Dham yatra route, which includes temples at Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, and Yamunotri, to implement a unique waste-disposal system in the Himalayas. Hemkund Sahib and the Valley of Flowers will also see the implementation of a QR-code-based system that will streamline waste collection and reduce garbage along the route.

Visitors will scan a QR code on each plastic bottle and multi-layer plastic bag (of chips or biscuits) and pay a deposit over the maximum retail price (MRP). They can claim this amount back as a refund when they deposit the waste at a point at the end of the yatra. Up to 45 lakh QR codes are expected to be printed this year.