DHARMAPURI: Over the past few years, the key pilgrimage site of Theerthamalai temple have witnessed an increasing footfall of tourists and devotees, which has resulted in plastic waste piling up in the hilly forest region in Harur taluk of Dharmapuri.
In light of this, residents have urged the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department to take steps to make the temple plastic-free. They also voiced concerns that the accumulating plastic could affect animals in the area and alleged that there are very few waste bins and no signboards condemning the use of plastic bottles.
Theerthamalai houses the Theerthagirishwarar temple, favoured since the Chola and Vijayanagara eras. Plenty of devotees visit the temple, that is also a popular tourist site during Maha Shivaratri and other significant events.
Speaking to TNIE, R Kumaran, a resident of Dharmapuri said, “Recently I visited the Theerthamalai temple to offer prayers and what I saw left me disheartened. The roads leading to the temple were littered with plastic waste. As a religious site, it must be preserved well as devotees often throng here. Moreover, it is located within the forest area, so if left unchecked, it could also adversely affect the wildlife,” he said.
P Rameshkumar, a devotee said, “Most of the garbage are food wastes and plastic water bottles. There are very few waste bins and no signs condemning the use of plastic bottles. The forest department and the HR&CE department should place more bins and signs along the route to the temple, prohibiting littering.”
When TNIE reached out to HR&CE officials, they were not not available for comments.