Uncovering Mount Abu’s Plastic Graveyard Accounts
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| Sealing the gateway to the official Abu Dump |
The trip towards Gurushikar and Achalgarh has witnessed Mount Abu’s official dumping place for what seems like an eternity, giving it the frightening moniker of the Plastic Graveyard. Despite the hopeful expectation that dumping would stop after the “Durga Impex” dumping business from Udaipur took over the rubbish collection contract, reality proved otherwise. Udaipur’s projected rubbish incinerator never happened, leaving this attractive region saddled with piling waste.Traveling through this once-disgusting stretch during the rainy season became a terrible experience for visitors en route to Gurushikar. Today, there is a silver lining: dumping at this location is prohibited. To emphasize this milestone, authorities have sealed off the gateway with a forbidding wall.
While this should be cause for celebration, the narrative takes a turn as garbage trucks, now barred from their customary dumping areas, have chosen alternate locations on the outskirts of town and even on privately owned properties. The fight against the plastic epidemic continues, and while Mount Abu’s Plastic Graveyard may have closed one chapter, the tale of waste management continues to unfold in unexpected places.
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| Plastic graveyard of Mount Abu |
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| Plastic graveyard of Mount Abu another angle |
On the 16th of February 2012, when I hiked towards Wordsworth's farm after my Bera trip, I was drawn in by the abundance of Jungle crows and a lone eagle sitting on the Hill, keeping a vigilant eye over the trash. Curiosity got the best of me when I saw this scenario and reached for my trusted camera. I set out along a bush track, ultimately finding myself behind the dump.
There, I came to a terrible sight: the horse I had previously described in my blog had been discarded only a day or two before. Fortunately, the area's wildlife, which included hyenas, jackals, and a leopard, had not yet spotted the carcass. This unexpected encounter painted a vivid picture of the cycle of life and death in the wilderness.
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| The Poor chap had served his purpose and left to die in the winter cold |
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| Solitary Eagle On The Hill |
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| Long-billed crows waiting to scavenge on the horse |
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| Shikra |
Yes, Ains, I remember you writing about the horse. As for the dump, I did see it on my way to Achalgarh when my class had come down in October 2010. It is an eyesore, and every effort must be made by the citizenry to clean up the main dump and others that have sprung up. You could send your pictures to the officials concerned, and threaten to send copies to government authorities / health officials if nothing is done. Abut is one of the most beautiful places on earth - and its people should be as concerned as you to preserve its pristine beauty. You could start a "group" on Facebook to draw attention to the issue.
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