YAMUNOTRI: In an exasperating situation for officials responsible for the upkeep of the Yamunotri and Gangotri shrines, several pilgrims have been discarding clothes on the banks of the Bhagirathi, which originates at Gangotri, and the Yamuna, which originates at Yamunotri.

In just over two months of this year's yatra, about 7 quintals of clothes, mostly saris, have been fished out from rivers at the two shrines.Warnings written on signboards and announced through loudspeakers, saying pilgrims caught discarding clothes will be fined Rs 1,000, haven't made any difference, say temple officials.The secretary of Gangotri shrine, Suresh Semwal, said this was a pressing problem.

"We have collected 4 quintal clothes from the Bhagirathi.

Every day, workers go to the river and collect the clothes dumped there.

We then hand them over to the nagar panchayat, which takes care of their disposal," he said.An office-bearer of the Yamunotri temple committee said the situation was no different at the shrine.

"May and June are usually peak season of the yatra.

So far, we have collected 3 quintal clothes.

We have appealed to pilgrims, especially women, to not do this since most of the clothes dumped are saris.

It puts a huge pressure on our cleaning staff."Asked why pilgrims are leaving behind their clothes, the office-bearer said, "It is not any ritual.

Garments, especially saris, get heavy when dipped in water.

So many pilgrims simply walk away in dry clothes, leaving behind the ones they have used to take a dip in the river."