At a time when Kedarnath in Uttarakhand is usually covered in at least five feet of snow, the hill shrine till Tuesday did not witness any snowfall, raising an alarm among environmentalists.
As the shrine and the area around it experience a drought due to the lack of snow, the weather is posing challenges for the labourers working on Kedarnath's reconstruction project. They can work for around 3 to 4 hours in a day.
The pilgrimage this year was impacted by disasters like excess rainfall, cloudbursts, floods and landslides.
The impact of climate change and pollution is visible in the higher and lower reaches of the Himalayas in Uttarakhand alike. The Air Quality Index (AQI) severely deteriorated in cities like Dehradun, Kashipur and Rishikesh, frequented in large numbers by tourists looking to escape the air pollution in Delhi and surrounding regions.
Among the culprits are climate change, deforestation, large-scale construction and a continuous increase in the number of vehicles. Heat, rain, length of seasons and snowfall are exhibiting erratic patterns. The ground and air temperature remain high as the snow that falls doesn't have enough time to accumulate. Lack of ample rain leads to cold, dry weather, causing dust to remain suspended in the air, resulting in smog and breathing difficulties.
Before closing in November for the winter season, the Chardham Yatra - comprising Kedarnath, Gangotri, Yamunotri and Kedarnath - saw a footfall of over 50 lakh pilgrims.
Kedarnath in Rudraprayag district opened on May 2 and closed in the month of October. The highest number of 17.68 lakh devotees visited Kedarnath. With the shrine closed, the worship of Baba Kedarnath will take place at the deity's winter residence of Omkareshwar Temple in Ukhimath.
