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| Yatra to begin on June 29 | | SASB astutely curtails Amarnath Yatra duration | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Feb 18: Shri Amarnath Shrine Board has kicked up another controversy by wisely curtailing duration of Amarnath yatra from two months to 45 days.
Yatra would begin on June 29 and conclude on August 13, 2011. Decision to this affect was taken during 20th meeting of the board held here today. Though the move is bound to generate heat in Jammu and elsewhere in the country, board has cited late snow clearance and falling of Shravan Purnima (Raksha Bandhan) on August 13 this year instead of August 24 for curtailing duration of Yatra.
Referring to the 2010 experience, SASB has said that despite vigorous efforts to carry out snow clearance operations on the Chandanwari–Sheshnag–MG top–Panjtarni–Holy Cave axis, the route could become fit for movement only around end June. Again citing year 2009, SASB has said that despite sustained hectic efforts to clear tracks of snows, Yatris faced severe difficulties for initial 10-12 days, particularly on Chandanwari route.
Board has further explained that annual schedule of the Yatra in the past 15 years had varied from 15 to 60 days and that about 85 percent of pilgrims complete Yatra within 30 days of the commencement date. Calling for evolving a pragmatic schedule for the annual Yatra, Board has stated that Yatra would commence on Shiv Ratri falling on June 29 and conclude on August 13, 2011.
Based on the previous experience, Board has decided to enhance available helicopter capacity for 2011 Yatra and, simultaneously, reduced one way fare from Pahalgam to Panjtarni from Rs. 3800 to Rs. 3495 per adult passenger and for children up to 12 years, from Rs.1900 to Rs.1745. Besides this, each Registered Yatri, Labourer, Ponywallah and Dandiwallah is being extended group accident insurance cover of Rs. 1Lakh.
Board has also enhanced insurance cover for ponies from Rs. 20,000 in 2010 to Rs. 25,000 this year for the benefit of ponywallahs.
Board has also called for issuing a strong advisory to the intending Yatris to undergo a proper medical check-up to assess their fitness for undertaking arduous Yatra. It has urged all sections of media to provide whole hearted support, in the larger interest of the pilgrimage. Board also stressed need for greater awareness, among the people at large, about the requirement of securing prior registration before embarking on the pilgrimage.
Board was also informed that a comprehensive plan had been drawn up in this regard, in consultation with Sunita Narain, an eminent Environmentalist and Director, Centre for Science and Environment, Delhi, who is also a distinguished Member of the Board. It was further informed that Expressions of Interest have been invited from various reputed and experienced Agencies for undertaking these environmental protection tasks.
The meeting was chaired by Governor N.N.Vohra who is chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board and was attended by Ravi Shanker, Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan, Justice (Rtd.) G. D. Sharma, Dr. Sunita Narayan, Vijay Dhar and Dr. Ved Kumari Ghai and Addl. Chief Executive Officer Saugat Biswas.
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