Replacing 430-year-old temple’s gold-plated walls affected by air pollution is an expensive project, already undertaken more than a century ago and then again in 1999.
The fading murals inside the neighboring Gurudwara Baba Atal Saheb
Community Kitchen which serves up to 100,000 people free meals every day at the temple –has switched from burning wood to cooking with gas after the environment study carried by IIT Delhi to control air-pollution.
A roti making machine (donated by a Lebanon based devotee) is being used now, which can churn out 25,000 rotis in just 1 hour helped further to reduce the use of coal.
The government decided to beautify the area surrounding the golden temple, however the open construction happening over the months have worsened the situation lately.
Practice of burning trash on the roads contributes highly in the air-pollution.
Amritsar, with a population of around 1.1 million, generates more than 600 metric tonnes of garbage every day, which is never segregated into wet and dry categories as per the Municipal Solid Waste rules.
In the past, the district administration had tried to turn the area around the Golden Temple into a no-vehicle zone by proposing to introduce battery-operated vehicles to ferry pilgrims, but had to backtrack following strong protests by local residents and traders.
Mushrooming smaller shop around the gurdwara uses coal and other commercial establishments, have diesel-run generators which are being used throughout in situation of power-cut.
The soaring pollution of the city has long-time impact on the health of the children.
The old dilapidated building instead of being demolished becomes the local garbage dumping site.
The houses surrounding the golden temple are almost 200 years old, and some of them are serious threat to people living around.
It is difficult to travel in public transport without wearing a mask.
Bengali migrants in Bhagtanwala garbage dumping site take a break from work.
While Municipal corporation denies dumping the garbage anymore at the site, one can always spot it.
The garbage dumps is 8 hecters with in the 1.5 kms distance from Golden temple has been stuck in the political agenda for years.
The girl's home in bangla baazar is filled with garbage as the family is involved in recycling the garbage. There is no plant provided by the government.
Recycle goodsare being sorted in bangla baazar, Amritsar
A laundary is established nearing to Bhagtanwala dump site where the new clothes from the factory are being washed before being sold to the market.
Bhgatanwala dump spread across 8 hectare of area affects 50,000-60,000 populations in the neighborhood. With 100 meters of Bhagtanwala a new society is being established by the local builder.
A volunteer cleans the Amrit-sarovar which means 'pool of nectar' surrounding the golden temple.
The boat, houses and even vehicles on the road carry the symbol of cross on it top.
