Gaumukh By Manasi Hansa* The Char Dham Yatra, a pilgrimage to four Hindu shrines located in the Himalayan region, has been opened for tourists this year from 22nd April. Until last year the government had put restrictions on the number of devotees allowed per destination which were revised, considering the outpour exceeding the daily limit. The revisions capped the daily limit of 16,000 in Badrinath, 13,000 in Kedarnath, 8,000 in Gangotri and 5,000 in Yamunotri, however this year, these restrictions were altogether abolished through a government order just a day before the commencement of the Yatra. The question remains whether this revision makes sense considering the eco-sensitivity of the Himalayan region. The Himalayan region is known for its fragile ecology, threatened by human activity over the years. Linking the Char Dham Project, comprising the widening of an 825 km road network is set to claim 56,000 trees in total, out of which 36,000 have already been chopped as of 2021.