 Early Times Report
JAMMU, July 1: In a dedicated effort to maintain environmental cleanliness, especially around vital water sources, Tawi Trekkers J&K, a leading adventure sports and social service organization, organized a day-long cleanliness drive at the sacred Jajjar Dhara at Devi Pindian, near the Vaishno Devi shrine, about 5 kilometers from Panthal, Katra.
Eighteen volunteers from the club participated in the drive, successfully removing approximately three tons of garbage from the stream. The waste collected included water and cold drink bottles, wrappers, menstrual pads, baby diapers, and beer bottles. The garbage was packed into 15 bags and transported to Jammu and Udhampur in private cars for disposal in municipal bins. During the drive, volunteers also appealed to pilgrims and vendors along the route to maintain the cleanliness of the Devi Pindi area, where Mata Vaishno Devi is believed to perform Tapasya for nine months each year.
The volunteer team was led by Ram Khajuria, Advisor of Tawi Trekkers J&K, and included notable members such as Upkar Singh Jamwal, Chairman of Aryan Oriental Convent Higher Secondary School, Udhampur; Shawetica Khajuria, President; Sonam Sidharth, General Secretary; senior members Sumit Khajuria, Seema Kharyal, Shashi Kant Sharma, Rohit Khajuria, Executive Editor of Sportsline Sanjeev Sharma; international sport climber Shivani Charak; international gymnast Rudraksh Khanna; and Vikas Singh, Ananjan Raghav, Kashish Bharti, Saksham, Jeevika Verma, Ajay Singh, and Gaggan Agarwal from Steel Authority of India.
Devi Pindian, known for its religious significance, is also a popular one-day winter trek for Tawi Trekkers J&K. In March this year, over 500 girls participated in this remarkable trek. As stakeholders in preserving the cleanliness of this sacred trekking area, Tawi Trekkers J&K have committed to launching and sustaining an awareness campaign to promote the development of this high-potential pilgrim and adventure tourism spot, aiming to place it prominently on India's tourist map. |
