Carrying capacity assessment of Himalayan shrines to continue during monsoon and winter
The assessment is aimed at mitigating environmental and infrastructural challenges caused by increasing footfall during the pilgrimage season which takes place annually between April and Nov in the Himalayan state.
As part of the evaluation, scientists will record, monitor, and analyse various factors impacting these towns during different months of the yatra, primarily across three seasons – summer, monsoon, and winter.
"Our researchers will assess footfall during monsoon as well as winter so that the report presents holistic facts. Footfall and usage of infrastructure varies drastically between different seasons, and that component needs to be recorded for a complete report on the carrying capacity," said BS Adhikari, the nodal officer for the project and head of the department of eco-development planning and participatory management at WII.
This year, so far, at least 37 lakh pilgrims visited the shrines in the summer season, according to data shared by the state govt on Monday.
Last year in July, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) had directed the Uttarakhand govt to submit an affidavit on the carrying capacity of these pilgrimage sites, citing concerns from scientists and environmentalists over the risks of overcrowding. These Himalayan shrines, all of which are located above 10,000 feet in the Himalayan mountain ranges, harbour an ecosystem that can thrive only in that environment.
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