Community Effort Turns Jateshwar Dham into Plastic-Free Pilgrimage Site

Badabil – On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, the local NGO Aadhar Foundation carried out a remarkable cleanliness drive under the Swachhata Hi Seva campaign at the sacred Baba Jateshwar Dham temple complex and the nearby waterfall.

The Foundation’s members, including Santosh Biswal, Pradeep Singh, Subhash Sahu, Bablu Biswal, Ranjit Nayak, Deepak Tiwari, Sanjay Das along with Forest Department employee Vijay Munda, collected nearly twelve sacks of plastic waste from the temple premises and surrounding areas. Their dedicated effort successfully rid the site of accumulated plastic, restoring its natural charm and making it a plastic-free zone.

Speaking on the initiative, Santosh Biswal emphasized that Jateshwar Dham and its waterfall, nestled amid serene greenery, have long been a magnet for tourists from Kolkata, Jamshedpur, Bhubaneswar, Chaibasa, Rourkela, and nearby towns. Visitors often seek peace away from the bustle of city life, and the site also sustains local livelihoods through hotels, shops, and small businesses.

Biswal further noted that maintaining cleanliness in the area will not only enhance the tourist experience but also strengthen the economic prospects of local communities. A cleaner environment ensures that visitors continue to flock to the site, thereby promoting sustainable tourism and community welfare.