By Shishir Prashant 
PrashantNews
In an eco-friendly initiative, Uttarakhand has set up a unit at Sonprayag to manufacture biomass fire pellets using a mixture of mule dung and pine needles locally called pirul offering an innovative solution to waste disposal and environmental challenges along the Kedarnath pilgrimage route.
The initiative aims to address the long-standing problem of disposing of mule dung generated by thousands of mules used to transport pilgrims and supplies to Kedarnath every pilgrimage season.
Rudraprayag District Magistrate Vishal Mishra inspected the pellet manufacturing unit on Wednesday and reviewed its functioning.
Although the unit is not yet capable of producing pellets on a large scale, officials said the initial results had been encouraging.
The pellets manufactured at the unit will be used to operate a hot-water generator installed at Kedarnath, providing free hot water to pilgrims round the clock. The biomass fuel will also be supplied for fire stoves used by roadside eateries, helping them reduce their dependence on LPG and diesel.
The pellets are being promoted as a carbon-neutral biomass fuel and are also expected to find applications in industrial furnaces in Uttarakhand.
The project has been established by NGO HIFEED with the support of the Uttarakhand Tourism Department, Rudraprayag district administration, the Chief Veterinary Officer’s office and the Forest Department.
HIFEED Director Udit Ghyaldiyal said that setting up the manufacturing unit at Sonprayag and installing the hot-water generator at Kedarnath had been challenging because of the heavy rush of pilgrims during the yatra season.
He said efforts were underway to install similar hot-water generators at Lincholi and Gaurikund soon.
The initiative seeks to convert two locally available waste materials — mule dung and pine needles, which are also a major contributor to forest fires in Uttarakhand — into a useful source of energy, while addressing waste management and promoting cleaner fuel alternatives in the Himalayan region.