KISHANGARH: Endless white plains shimmer under the sun—no pine trees, no chill in the air—yet the landscape looks like a scene straight out of a winter postcard. Many mistake it for Bolivia’s Salt Flats, snow-covered Gulmarg, or even scenic Switzerland.But this striking location, now a popular spot for social media reels, is actually Asia’s largest marble waste dumping site, located in Kishangarh in Ajmer district, arid Rajasthan.Here, over 700 tankers carrying around 22 lakh litres of marble slurry are emptied every day. The site attracts at least 5,000 visitors daily, with footfall soaring to 20,000 on weekends and holidays.Due to its pristine white appearance, the dumping yard, spread over 350 acres, has also become a popular destination for pre-wedding and commercial shoots. Environmentalists and health experts, however, have flagged it as not just a health hazard but also a pollution hotspot.Scientific studies conducted by the Central University of Rajasthan have flagged it as a “toxic tourist destination”, documenting the health and ecological impacts of this unregulated dumping. The concerns also reached the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which set up a joint committee including members from state and central pollution control boards.“Despite its scale and impact, the dumping yard is being operated in rampant violation of basic environmental safeguards. There is no engineered liner system, no decanting wells, no dust suppression mechanisms, no monitoring of air or groundwater, and no protective green belt.“These failures have led to severe contamination of groundwater, degradation of agricultural land and high levels of fugitive dust pollution, thereby endangering public health,” Laxmi Kant Sharma, Environmental Science professor at Central University of Rajasthan, told PTI.Sharma noted that the university’s studies have found that the toxic contamination of water sources in the vicinity is reflected in total dissolved solid escalating 10 times above the safe limit in a 6-km radius of the dumping site.“The concentration of lead silicate in soil and nitrate and fluoride concentrations in water were found several times higher than normal levels, indicating extreme contamination. Our study also found that the concentration of PM2.5 exceeds the limit of ambient air quality standards of PM2.5,” he said.“Since the waste particles are smaller than 75 micrometres, they can spread far and wide, making the soil infertile. Several people may be suffering from silicosis. The government needs to take immediate action to prevent the situation from getting out of hand,” he added.The Kishangarh marble industry took shape in the 1980s. Around 30 years ago, the Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation (RIICO) allotted two dumping plots to the Kishangarh Marble Association (KMA). That marked the beginning of marble waste being dumped here, and over time, the slurry accumulated to form vast white plateaus and mountains.Today, the city is home to over 1,200 marble cutting units.For years, the site went unnoticed, until comedian Kapil Sharma filmed a song here for his debut film Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon in 2016, bringing it into the spotlight. Since then, more celebrities have flocked to the location—Nora Fatehi shot her hit song Chhor Denge, Honey Singh and Nushrratt Bharuccha filmed the Saiyaan Ji music video, and Tiger Shroff with Shraddha Kapoor shot Dus Bahane for Baaghi 3.The stunning white landscapes and blue ponds also caught the attention of pre-wedding photographers, who began bringing couples here for shoots.Recognising its potential, the KMA developed an innovative model to turn the dumping yard into a tourist destination, now equipped with a helipad. While entry is free, visitors must obtain a pass from the KMA office, located about a kilometre away. A visitor with a single digital camera pays Rs 500, pre-wedding shoots cost Rs 5,100 per day, and commercial shoots can go up to Rs 21,000 per day.“The revenue is used to maintain the dumping yard. We have made changing rooms for those coming for shoots. There is a helipad too. There are restaurants and options for recreational activities. The dumping yard has put Kishangarh on the national tourism map,” said KMA president Sudhir Jain.“We have not received any health-related complaints from any tourist. In fact, the NGT also did not find anything hazardous here. We have been issued some guidelines for maintaining the area and we will follow them,” Jain added.When this PTI reporter visited the site, she could not find a single person wearing a mask. Several children, who came with their parents and grandparents, were seen rubbing their eyes.The dumping yard has it all for its visitors — horses, jeeps, kiosks for sunglasses and other photo props. Those managing these activities were seen covering their faces with towels and eyes with sunglasses.Lined on the side are several restaurants with a ‘chaupati’ theme where visitors relish delicacies, even as winds blow marble dust. The place also has a dedicated kids zone with various swings and activities available for children to enjoy a fun day.Tankers carrying marble waste could be seen arriving every 10 minutes to offload the slurry waste, but it meant little to tourists who come here nonetheless to click perfect selfies.“We saw so many videos online where people were calling this place mini Switzerland. So, when we were taking a trip to Rajasthan, we had to come here for sure. It is beautiful and amazingly scenic,” said Ashok Puri from Ahmedabad, who was visiting the dumping yard with his family.Farmers from nearby villages such as Tokra, Bhojiyawas, Rahimpura, Phaloda, Mohanpura, and Kali Dungri say that marble dust frequently settles on their fields and contaminates irrigation water, negatively impacting crop yields.“A white layer of marble dust often covers our crops. Ultimately, the production is low. Since my farms are very close to the dumping yard, last year the slurry ran into them and formed a thick layer on my field, making it unfit for sowing,” said Mandraj, who now runs a tea stall.Kishangarh MLA Vikas Chaudhary, however, said the dumping yard is maintained well by the KMA and attracts tourists from across the country.“The machinery that is being used by the industry now generates less waste. The marble association is doing a very good job of maintaining the dumping yard and Kishangarh is being seen as a popular tourist destination. However, if there are any pollution or health concerns, we are open to addressing them,” he said. (With agency inputs)
