Bolangir: A campaign has commenced to make Harishankar, a renowned religious and tourist site situated on the foothills of the Gandhamardhan hill in Bolangir district, free from polythene and plastic. The initiative, a collaborative effort by the Bolangir Forest Division and the Harishankar Temple Trust, has led to a total prohibition on use of polythene and plastic in the temple area. The temple trust, along with the Forest department, local volunteers, and environmental activists, is working continuously to raise awareness among the visitors.
Signboards and banners have been placed to create awareness among the visitors in this regard. Additionally, local vendors are being encouraged to avoid selling offerings such as flowers and food items in polythene bags. The temple trust and Forest department have informed devotees and shopkeepers about these decisions, emphasising the use of organic plates made from Sal leaves and bamboo baskets instead of polythene carry bags.
Previously, devotees would bring offerings and worship items in polythene bags, but now they are using Sal leaf plates and bamboo baskets. Even in the temple’s food distribution centre, disposable plates and bowls made of paper and polythene have been replaced by Sal leaf alternatives. Visitors to the shrine are lauding the initiative to make Harishankar shrine polythene-free. Furthermore, a decision has been taken to prohibit the use of soap and shampoo by visitors bathing in the nearby waterfall. Harishankar has gained recognition as a unique religious and tourist destination in the country. In 2023, recognising the significance of Gandhamardhan hill’s unique biodiversity, the state government declared it a biodiversity heritage site. The Gandhamardhan hill is home to more than 1,200 rare species of shrubs and medicinal plants, as well as over 500 rare wildlife species.
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Every day, thousands of devotees and tourists from both within and outside the state, and even from foreign countries, visit the shrine attracted by the place’s natural beauty, dense forests, towering hills, waterfalls, and rich biodiversity. The daily influx of devotees and tourists in thousands had been polluting this scenic spot owing to the widespread use of polythene and plastic. The timely initiative by the Bolangir Forest Division and the Harishankar Temple Trust to make the shrine polythene and plastic-free is expected to keep Harishankar and Gandhamardhan clean and green.