‘Like Kashmir’: How a toxic marble dump yard became a tourist spot in India
Summary
A 300-acre marble-waste dump near Kishangarh, Rajasthan, has become a popular tourist destination, drawing visitors for photos and film shoots. Residents in nearby villages report health problems and damage to crops, while a local doctor says people face respiratory and skin risks from dust linked to marble processing and dumping.Key Facts
- The dump site is about 6 km from Kishangarh and is locally known as the “Snow Yard.”
- The site is in Ajmer district and is described as Asia’s largest marble-slurry dumping yard.
- Nearly 1,000 tankers reportedly bring about 5,500 tonnes of marble waste to the site each day.
- Tourists visit the site for photos, pre-wedding shoots, social media videos, music videos and movies; entry is free.
- Kishangarh has nearly 1,200 marble and granite processing units and employs about 25,000 people, according to the Federation of Indian Granite and Stone Industry.
- Resident Bagharam Gurjar said people in at least six nearby villages suffer from chest infections, dental problems and skin allergies, and that dust harms crops.
- Ajmer physician Aditi Goyal said residents face respiratory and skin risks, and that processing-unit workers are especially vulnerable to chronic illness from prolonged toxic-dust exposure.
Read the Full Article
This is a fact-based summary from The Actual News. Click below to read the complete story directly from the original source.
