Chairman Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) visits Amarnathji Shrine; Reviews Yatra Arrangements
Srinagar, July 12 - With this year’s Shri Amarnathji Yatra already half-way through, Governor, Mr N N Vohra, today visited the Holy Cave and paid obeisance at the sanctum sanctorum amid chanting of Shiv Sutras.
The Governor, who is Chairman of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), was accompanied by Dr Kapila Vatsyayan, Member SASB and Mr B B Vyas, Chief Executive Officer of the Board.
The Governor interacted with the Yatris, enquired about the facilities and wished them successful accomplishment of their Yatra. He also took stock of the arrangements made for the visiting pilgrims, in the Cave periphery and enroute on the tracks, with the local officers of the Board and the Civil Administration.
The Governor also flew over the Panchtarni and Sheshnag Camps on the traditional Chandanwari-Holy Cave route and had an aerial survey of the critical stretches of the track between Sheshnag-Poshpathri-Panchtarni.
The Chairman visited Baltal and reviewed the arrangements put in place for smooth conduct of the Yatra, with particular reference to sanitation, health and hygiene. He inspected the medicare facilities available at the Base Camp and directed the officers of the Board and the Health Department to ensure proper stocking of medicines and timely attention to the old aged pilgrims who face difficulties in the difficult geo-climatic conditions of the Shrine area. Meanwhile, the Board has been constantly advising that old and infirm persons, children and those suffering from heart or lung ailments or breathlessness, not to venture on the Yara.
The Governor reviewed the Pilot Project on Environment at the Baltal Base Camp. It would be recalled that one Pilot Project each has been set up by the Board in Nunwan and Baltal Base Camps, to suit the local conditions and available space. All toilets and bath rooms at both the Base Camps have been connected to 4”x6” pipes which, in turn, have been connected to a series of 3,000 litre plastic “settling tanks (Baffle Reactors)”. All the “settling tanks” have further been drained through an 8” main plastic pipe, flowing into a cluster of 5,000 litre plastic “pre-treatment tanks”. Semi-treated liquid has been diverted into “reed- bed/tank” filled with stones and planted with reed. The mechanism of these Sewage Treatment facilities is aimed at ensuring zero discharge in the water body.
Meanwhile, a Spokesman of SASB said that 9,190 Yatris performed darshan at the Holy Cave Shrine of Shri Amarnathji yesterday. He stated that 4,282 pilgrims left from the Baltal Base Camp and another batch of around 3000 pilgrims proceeded towards the Holy Cave from the Nunwan Base Camp this morning. He, however, added that no batch of Yatris had been allowed from Jammu to the Baltal and Pahalgam Base Camps early morning today in view of the blockages of the National Highway at Samroli and Seri. However, the Yatra would resume as soon as the National Highway is cleared of the stone falls/impediments. Click here to read more information on Shri Amarnathji Yatra. |