Clean Up Drive Begins On Odisha's Highest Peak

Odisha's highest mountain peak Deomali is all set to get a new look. Last month, the block administration department started a cleanliness drive in the region. The motive behind this initiative was to restore the beauty and dignity of this spot which has been degraded due to an increase in tourists in the region.

Ten years ago, the Government constructed four tourist view spots on this peak along with facilities like toilets to attract tourists. But over the last few years, the condition of this spot has degraded due to the dumping of leftovers, garbage, plastics, wrappers, etc over the place.

As there is no authority in charge of maintenance and tourist management at Deomali, unregulated behaviour by people visiting the area has only increased particularly in the last one and half years due to the pandemic.

In October, the Pottangi administration roped in a self-help group from Thuria village for a cleanliness drive along the hilly landscape, reported The New Indian Express. Sources said, apart from installing garbage bins at regular intervals, authorities are also restructuring the tourist towers and renewing the rest sheds, toilets and link road to the peak. The use of polythene has been banned.

Each year approximately 8,000 tourists visit Deomalli ."We have cleaned all the major tourist spots and even put signboards in many regions to attract people . Soon a separate team will be engaged in monitoring tourists "said the block official of Pottangi.

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