Dehradun, April 18 -- Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday announced that pilgrims visiting Kedarnath Dham will soon be provided with 24-hour hot water instead of cold water.

This facility will be powered by geysers operated using biomass pellets made from pine needles (pirul) and mule dung. This is the first initiative of its kind in the country, where round-the-clock hot water will be made available at such a high-altitude location. These geysers will be installed at Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN) Kedarnath and Lincholi, a release said.

This innovative initiative will also help address the issue of mule waste along the Kedarnath Yatra route, while simultaneously reducing the risk of forest fires caused by pine...