The natural beauty and spiritual history of the Laksman Jhula/Tapovan area of Rishikesh make it a popular destination for pilgrimage. As a result, the so-called "Foothills of the Himalayas" sees thousands of tourists a year, and also sees its fair share of plastic and non-degradable waste sometimes thoughtlessly thrown right into the sacred Ganges. The rapid development of shops and hotels catering to the pilgrims heightens the environmental problem. Enter "Clean Himilaya," which spontaneously arose roughly eight years ago to protect that delicate eco-system from pollution. From Asia Times Online:

"..."The Clean Himalaya campaign started as a hobby,' said Susan Eilers, one of the project leaders, who left her home in Vancouver 28 years ago to work in India as a nun. 'We were concerned about the amount of garbage being dumped in the streets, in the Ganges and in the [Himalayan] ravines and decided to do something about it."'

"... Combining an eclectic workforce of spirituality students, Mumbai-based media professional Amit Bhatnagar, long-term tourists and local businessmen, the 'Clean Himalaya' project reflects the diverse population living in Rishikesh, which means 'Lord of the senses' in Sanskrit.

"The project was launched in 2000 in the busy Laksman Jhula-Tapovan area of the town, with local Jitendra Kumar as the founder-manager, and although it began more as a 'devotional response' rather than environmental activism, it has since grown into a more professional operation, said Eilers.

Last year "Clean Himilaya" won a World Bank, India Development Marketplace Award of $20,000 towards funding the projects continued expansion. The rise of Himalayan eco-tourism also augurs well for the furture of Rishikesh. More information here.

[Image: Clean Himalaya]