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| Appalling conditions at Amarnath yatra, pilgrims at grave risk | | Who will restore its sanctity- SC, SASB or Govt? | | Early Times Report
Jammu, July 17: Thanks to judicial activism in India, a hope has been kindled for improvement in the appalling conditions of Amarnath pilgrimage in near future. The highest echelon of judiciary has slammed the Government for "not taking any effective and appropriate measures for protecting the life of thousands of devotees …". A very strong observation, indeed.
Friday's intervention of Supreme Court in the pathetic conditions of Sri Amarnath pilgrimage has at least knocked at the knuckle of the State Government and the Governor headed statutory Sri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) which in a damage control mode, have rushed a high level team led by Health Minister to have firsthand account and take remedial measures while the Health Department officials started visiting Yatri Bhawan and other temporary habitations advising yatris some useful tips. Moved by the deaths of 67 pilgrims during the pilgrimage, the Supreme Court has sought the details of arrangements. Not surprisingly, it is the SC and not the Government or the SASB which are jointly mandated to make appropriate arrangements for the pilgrimage which is concerned about the safety, dignity, honour and well being of lakhs of devotees visiting the Shrine every year.
Even though the SC have made the much needed intervention, probably on the basis of personal experiences of some the SC judges who have visited the shrine, it is also a fact that the appalling situation witnessed by the devotees during the pilgrimage is regretfully not widely reported in the media, both local and national media. May be the media is busy in highlighting the record breaking number of pilgrims which the Government happily describes it as peace dividend. The SASB too is more than satisfied about the yatra crossing 5 lakh- mark in just 22days of the yatra. Remarkable achievement, indeed. But the count of daily batches of pilgrims leaving Jammu for the last 23 days does not go beyond 80,000. The average strength of daily batches of registered pilgrims ranges from 2400 to 2800. Then, how did the yatra figure cross half a million mark so soon? What happened to the SASB's announcement of a prescribed limit of registration of pilgrims per day through net, J&K Bank etc. Who is allowing seven times more pilgrims beyond the announced quota of registered pilgrims? Is anybody worried about the danger of an impending disaster on the highly risky and treacherous track whose carrying capacity has been determined by Dr. Nitish Sengupta committee at 20,000 a day while the number proudly released by the Govt. and the SASB ranges from 40,000 to 47000.
Dr. Nitish Sengupta had submitted a report a decade ago containing 20 recommendations which were accepted. These include establishment of a Statutory Board on the pattern of Vaishno Devi Board and restrictions on the number of pilgrims allowed to go at any given time. It was to ensure that in the event of natural disaster, the effect on pilgrims would be minimal. Unfortunately, these restrictions are not being observed, and instead seven times higher the number of pilgrims Sengupta committee recommended, are being allowed on high altitude track. This is not only fraught with danger but also unfolds avoidable miseries to the pilgrims who are basically motivated to tread on the dangerous small rocky track, mainly by their faith.
The alarming death toll has focused on the dearth of medical facility or inability of the SASB and the administration to properly scrutinize documents. But the overall horrendous conditions of the yatra should not be lost in the larger concern for the deaths even by SC.
The apex court bench of Justice B.S. Chauhan and Justice Sweater Kumar has rightly observed," In our considered view, the pilgrims have a constitutional right under Articles 21 and 19(1)(d) to move freely throughout the territory of India, free of fear, with dignity and safety and to ensure enforcement of such right is the primary obligation of the State and the Central Governments."
It further said "They (the authorities) are also expected to make appropriate arrangements for darshan at the holy cave so as to avoid health hazards and injuries, provide proper paths and one-way system passages to the pilgrims to the holy cave,"
Some of the other issues raised by the court in the notice include protection of the environment in the area including collection and disposal of the waste...including by yatris enroute and around the holy cave".
The court also said that "with the passage of time, the things have hardly improved". All these reports clearly showed disregard to the human life.
The court has held that in terms of Article 21 of the constitution, a person has a right to live with dignity and not be subjected to inhuman treatment, particularly in such places where large number of people is bound to visit because of their faith. It appears that the Hon'ble judges have firsthand account of the conditions than the Governor or the Chief Minister.
A visit to the shrine is a sickening experience. To be fair to the Governor and the Chief Minister, they might not be told about the situation on the ground zero. While the Central and State Governments as also the SASB would submit their replies to SC within a week's time, in all likelihood justifying lack of some fool proof facilities due to inhospitable conditions on account of snow bound high altitude track, there some issues which still can be done providedthereis commitment . How ironical is that two statutory Shrine Boards- one for Sri Vaishno Devi and another for Sri Amarnathji, are headed by the same person i.e Governor but the management of both the shrines are distinctively polls apart. Why?
Does the Governor know how slushy and slurry is the track which witnessed frequent hold ups due to overcrowding and simultaneous movement of horses and palkis from both sides. The plight of those pilgrims who venture to tread the track on foot is seen to be believed. Many of them including women have to literally stretching on the rocks to allow the marching caravans of horses. Even pilgrims riding on horses too miss their heart beat more often when the horse put its foot on the edge of the track. One wrong step of the horse and its all over. The 4 t0 5 feet track is irregular, at some points, slippery rocky stones makes it risky both for the pilgrims on foot or on the horse. Can't these patches be smoothened? Nazir of Anantang, horse owner, blamed the Government for its lack of commitment and asked"why the rocks can't be blasted to either create separate pathway for horses and palkiwallas or widen the existing track". One can create roads on mountain passes why we take shelter of excuse of high altitude for inaction.
There is no temporary shelter between Panjtarni to the cave to save from the frequent rains.
As regards the sanitation conditions, less said the better. The empty packaged water bottles and other waste material including fecal matter are littered on the slopes. Not even one garbage bin is noticed on the track.
There is no system of regulation of pilgrims even at the holy cave for darshan. They are pushed upside by the milling crowd of devotees and many of them feel suffocated. The platform in front the 'caged' Shivlingum is another glaring example of mismanagement. Everybody especially the women and children have to float with the push of the devotees on the steps. One feel crushed if he ventures to reach closer to the iron grill separating the sanctum sanctorum (Shivlingum) from the milling crowd of devotees on the small platform. With water dropping from the roof of the huge cave makes the tiled platform wet and slippery. If one does not slip, it is his good fortune.
While the pilgrimage is a saga of our culture and unflinching faith marked by religious rituals and sanctity, it a different story at the cave Bhawan. Devotees carrying packets of 'parsad' to be offered to the 'burfani baba' after completing the most difficult track are faced with dilemma. The iron grill in front of the Shivlingum is very high with no spaces in between from where the offerings could be religiously made. The only option is to throw it up from the leftover space between the roof of the cave and the iron partition. How improper is it to throw the offerings in such a manner which will have no parallel in our religious cultures and rituals.
To the amusement of the people, there are hundreds of beggars, some with amputated limbs, seeking money from the pilgrims on the exit steps at the cave. Nobody in the management seems to be bothered of harassment caused to the gullible pilgrims.
The pilgrims are fleeced by one and all. Be it horsewalla or the palkiwallas, or for that matter small time traders it is free for all. Be it is small consumer items like water bottle, cold drink, tea cup, biscuits etc, no one seems to be bound by the approved rates which not displayed. A cup of tea on the track costs Rs, 40/- and the rates charged for horses and palkis are doubled the approved rates not seen anywhere.
One should thank his fortune if he does not soil his shoes with human excreta which is littered on the open spaces even near the holy stream passing through the area. With number of pilgrims increasing beyond the anticipated number, all facilities created too are falling short.
May be, the Government may not be called upon by the SC to answer these issues as well, but isn't it Government and SASB bound to correct the system and restore the sanctity of the Amarnath pilgrimage to the level of Sri Vaishno Devi. As observed by the SC, the amaranth pilgrims are entitled to have a constitutional right to perform the pilgrimage in true religious sanctity with dignity and safety and to ensure enforcement of such right is the primary obligation of the State.
Equally distressing is the poor response of civil society, political parties and above all the NYAS. Instead of making controversies on the duration of the yatra, they should have focused their concern on the appalling conditions of the yatra. Their silence makes them equal partner to the guilt. |
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