Victory for Devotees: Wildlife Dept Withdraws User Charges for Choorhdhar, But Who Will Clean the Trash?
Shimla/Nauhradhar/Sarahan, May 27:
In a major win for pilgrims and locals, the Wildlife Department has officially withdrawn its controversial user charges for visitors trekking to the Choorhdhar Wildlife Sanctuary — home to the revered Choorheshwar Temple, believed to be the abode of Dev Shirgul.
The department had issued a notification on April 2 mandating user charges for all visitors.
But after strong opposition from locals, religious bodies, and Himbumail's relentless reporting, a fresh notification was issued today, stating that no entry fee or user charges will be levied on pilgrims.
People from across Himachal and even Jaunsar-Bawar in Uttarakhand undertake this sacred journey every year.
The Choorhdhar peak, often dubbed the “Kailash of the Shivaliks,” holds deep spiritual and cultural significance.
The Wildlife Department admitted receiving numerous representations from nambardaris, religious committees, and the Choorhdhar Seva Samiti demanding the rollback. The government finally bowed to public pressure.
But here’s the bigger question – what about the garbage?
Every pilgrimage season, tons of trash — plastic wrappers, bottles, and waste — are left behind on the trekking routes from Kala Bagh to Shivling Top (Sarahan side) and from Nauhradhar to Choorhdhar. The situation is alarming.
Now that the charges are off the table, the Wildlife Department must urgently coordinate with the Seva Samiti and Temple Committee to implement a sustainable trash management plan. Public awareness is crucial. Pilgrims must be encouraged to carry their waste back and respect the sanctity of the mountain.
As one Seva Samiti member told Himbumail, “Bhakti without responsibility is not devotion — it’s destruction.”
Choorhdhar may be free again, but its cleanliness comes at a cost. The onus is now on both the administration and the devotees to keep the abode of Dev Shirgul unpolluted.
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