Pilgrims from Sultanganj in Bihar carry Ganga water in polythene packets and dump these at Deoghar in Jharkhand.

Lakhs of pilgrims travel the 100-km-long route in Shravan to offer prayers at the temple of Lord Baidyanath in Deoghar. Most of them carry Ganga water, which they collect at the riverbank in Sultanganj, and other items in polythene bags. These non-bio-degradable bags are dumped on the roadside, leading to pollution and other hazards.

Nagendar Sharma, special officer, Deoghar Municipal Corporation, said: “During Shravan Mela, Deoghar turns into a dustbin of polythene and plastic items. It is a big problem for us.”

Sources, however, claimed that pilgrims have little choice. Chunmun Panda, a priest at Sultanganj, said Deoghar district administration had banned metal and glass containers to prevent accidents. “So the kanwariyas have no choice but to use polythene that is harmful to the environment,” he said.

Officials of Deoghar Municipal Corporation (DMC) confirmed the ban but admitted that the alternative was a greater headache.

For pilgrims, though, polythene is convenient. Shambhu Mandal, a devotee from Bhagalpur, told The Telegraph that till a few years ago, pilgrims carried Ganga water in brass or glass containers. “We used to struggle to protect our goods from the rain. But now, polythene pouches and large sheet are available for the use of the kanwariyas,” he said.

Not only kanwariyas, shopkeepers on the path catering to the pilgrims also find plastic convenient. Subhash Kumar, the owner of a food stall near Inaravaran in Banka, said: “We prefer to use disposable plastic plates and glasses, as many people prefer these to China or metal utensils. We don’t have to worry about washing them either.”

Chotu, an assistant at another food stall at Tarapur in Munger, said: “Till about five years ago, I had to wash a large number of plates and dishes. But now, I don’t have to do this chore as we serve our customers in disposable plastic plates.”

A love for convenience has adverse effects, though.

Bhagalpur-based social activist and environmentalist Sunil Agarwal said: “The polythene dumped on the roadside is very harmful. It blocks waterways, kills saplings and harms cattle that eat it. Polythene packets are also carried by the wind to farmlands, where they catch fire and destroy crops.”

Besides pollution, the dumping is a major concern for the forest department.

Banka divisional forest officer Kumarswami told The Telegraph that polythene causes damages to the green cover. “It is a major concern for us,” he said.

Around 65km of the kanwariya path passes through Banka, of which 77 per cent passes through forests. Kumarswami added: “We are planning to take help from the district administration to counter such problems.”

Bhagalpur district administration officials claim that they have already initiated efforts to check the pollution. The sub-divisional officer of the district, Sunil Kumar, said: “We use loudspeakers at Sultanganj to request the kanwariyas to not dump polythene packets on the roadside.” He added: “The devotees should also be careful to not add to pollution on their pilgrimage.”