Videos of Amarnath yatris polluting Lidder River in Pahalgam spark outrage
Srinagar: In Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK), Hindu pilgrims participating in the annual Amarnath Yatra have come under criticism after videos surfaced showing them bathing with soap and shampoo and washing clothes in the pristine Lidder River in Pahalgam, raising fresh concerns over environmental degradation in the ecologically fragile region.
According to Kashmir Media Service, a video shared by an Amarnath pilgrim on social media showed several yatris bathing in the Lidder River and washing clothes with detergents. The pilgrim himself appealed to the Amarnath Shrine Board to deploy personnel along the riverbanks to prevent pollution and prohibit bathing in the river.
The video went viral on social media, triggering widespread criticism from environmentalists, journalists and local residents, who expressed alarm over the damage being caused to the fragile ecosystem of the Lidder River. Social media users said that while Kashmiris have consistently extended hospitality and support to Amarnath pilgrims, the use of soap, shampoo, toxic detergents and plastic sachets in a natural river reflects a serious lack of civic responsibility and poses a threat to aquatic life and the environment.
“Bathing, washing clothes and littering are destroying Pahalgam’s fragile ecosystem. This lifeline of Kashmir must be protected,” one social media user said.
Environmental experts and political observers have long warned that the steadily increasing number of pilgrims, coupled with inadequate environmental safeguards, is placing immense pressure on the fragile ecology of IIOJK. They say the annual Amarnath Yatra has contributed to growing pollution of rivers and water bodies, excessive waste generation, deforestation and ecological degradation, while the authorities have failed to enforce effective environmental protection measures despite repeated concerns raised by local residents and experts.
