Known to be one of the highest and coldest battlefields in the world, the famed Siachen is an Indo-Pakistan border. Temperatures on the glacier are known to drop to -70 degrees Celcius. It's pristine and beautiful but living there is a challenge because of the altitude, and of course, the temperature. But, out Army Jawans guarding the glacier do it for India, and now, they're doing their bit for the environment as they cleaned more than 130 tonnes of waste.
Honestly guys, what a shame – the Indian Army has not been hired to clean your shit. They’re there to protect you, not pick up your garbage because you don't care enough for the environment. Why should they clean your garbage? Only because they give a damn about the environment and you don’t?
According to informed sources from the Indian army, 236 tonnes of waste is generated at the glacier every year. Now, they just cleaned more than 130 tonnes; 48.41 tonnes was bio-degradable waste, 40.32 tonnes was non bio-degradable waste and the remaining 41.45 tonnes was non bio-degradable metallic waste. All the non-metallic waste was burnt in incinerators. The metallic waste had to be sent over to the extrication centres that had industrial crushers.
Now, we know we can’t exactly go to Siachen peak. Civilians are allowed to go up to 10,000 ft, where Panamik village is. It is one of the last villages in the Nubra Valley of the Saltoro Ridge region. And at that height, even bio-degradable waste doesn’t get degraded, so if and when you do visit Siachen, be extremely careful of your carbon footprint.
What we really don’t understand is that, why on earth would anyone travel for multiple days to reach one of the highest and most dangerous terrains in the world, only to litter? Why? Why would anyone do that?
Now, the Army is on a mission to make the beautiful mountains of Siachen cleaner. In a concept paper, they revealed, “Since every item inducted into the glacier is a potential source of waste, the entire process of waste generation needs to be viewed holistically through total tonnage inducted into the glacier for requisite logistics support to these troops.”
We need to understand is that at such glacial heights, there are absolutely no waste disposal plans. None, zero, nada. They don’t get garbage collectors outside their doors every day. The army can’t really afford to bring up a garbage truck at that height every now and then. So, every piece of litter you leave behind, stays there for a long time.
Here's what we can do:
Don’t Litter
This is something that we all learned in pre-school. This is no rocket science. Honestly, how much effort does it take to not throw away a wrapper? So, the next time you’re in the mountains, or anywhere really, make sure that you don’t litter.
Avoid your beloved Maggi
Now, we know it’s a known cliché that ‘if you’re in the hills, you gotta have Maggi’. There's a certain romanticism attached to downing Maggi in the hills, but if it comes at the cost of the environment, saying no is a no-brainer. That Maggi comes in single-use plastic packaging. After you have your romantic and over-hyped bowl of Maggi, that Maggi packet becomes one with the 130 tonnes of waste. Don’t contribute to it, please. We need to try and minimize our waste STAT.
Don’t buy packaged water; carry a refillable bottle instead
Out of all the waste found, discarded packaged water bottles make up a majority of the garbage. Now, there’s really not much to say than – Don’t buy packaged water. Instead, carry a refillable bottle. This will save the environment and it will also save you a lot of money. And by the way, why do even need a bottle of Bisleri, you’re right in the laps of a glacier, if you’ve forgotten. Its the purest and most mineral-infused water you’ll ever be able to drink. So, while you’re there, say no to bottles and enjoy the chilled water coming down the rivers.
Carry back your waste
If you can’t stop yourself from having packaged food or water, the least carry the waste back with you. Your city has the most efficient waste disposable plans, take your scraps there. Carry a disposable bag and carry your waste back. Trust us, it’ll hardly weigh anything or take up any space.
We are not asking for much, guys, this is the least you can and should do. So, next time you’re in the mighty mountains, please think about the amount of waste you are creating or leaving there. And promise to make a change for the better.
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