Srilanka, June 12 -- During the 2024/2025 Sripada pilgrimage season, local pilgrims arriving via Nallathanniya dumped approximately 241 tons of waste into the sacred Sripada Reserve, according to Maskeliya Pradeshiya Sabha Secretary Sivaram Rajaveeran.

This year's season, which spanned six months from December 2024 to May 2025, saw an alarming 178 tons of biodegradable waste and 63 tons of non-biodegradable waste left behind. Of the latter, around 3 tons consisted of plastic water and beverage bottles.

Rajaveeran noted a significant increase in careless waste disposal compared to the previous year, attributing the rise to a lack of environmentally responsible behavior among some pilgrims, despite ongoing awareness campaigns.

To addres...