Uttaranchal Tourism to focus on environment

The Uttaranchal tourism Department is focusing on the environmental issues related to the Chardham tourist circuit in order to boost tourism.

To begin with, the tourism department would fund nearly Rs 7 to 8 crore to build a new sewage system at Badrinath so as to free the Alaknanda, one of the major tributaries of the Ganga, from pollution.

"We are focusing our attention more on environmental issues now," Principal Secretary said Alok Jain, who during the weekend toured Badrinath and other pilgrim centres in Garhwal region.

Already, the work for the new sewage system at Badrinath has started with the authorities removing some encroachments near the temple shrine in this regard.

Besides this, the Tourism Department would construct public toilets along the roads leading to Badrinath, Gangotri, Yamunotri and Kedarnath in a big way. "There are no proper sanitation facilities along the yatra routes. So, we are going to take up the construction of toilets in a big way," Jain said.

For this purpose, the department is also trying to rope in the Ganga Pollution Board for taking up the construction of toilets.

A separate densification plant is being set up at Srinagar, the district headquarters of Pauri. Srinagar, which is situated on the banks of river Alaknanda, is a major town along the Badrinath yatra route. The densification plant would help in removing non-biodegradable matters that cause pollution in the Alaknanda.