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| Mountainous tracks, camp sites still buried under snow | | Govt caught napping on Yatra arrangements | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, June 2: With less than a month left for the commencement of the annual Amarnath Ji Yatra, something fundamental about the arrangements is missing this time. Even the snow is yet to be cleared from the trekking route and the camp sites than to talk of any subsequent maintenance.
This is despite the fact that the state government and the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board officials have been holding meetings after meetings to review the arrangements.
The administrative slumber, which may leave the Peoples Democratic Party- Bharatiya Janta Party coalition red-faced, has come to fore following the on- the-spot aerial inspection undertaken by Governor NN Vohra on June 1. Vohra, who is also the Chairperson of the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board, was accompanied by its CEO PK Tripathi.
Sources said Governor was shocked to see that snow was yet to be removed from the tracks as the mountainous route lay buried under thick white carpet as visible from the helicopter.
Observers said by this time around, the track used to be in place. But this time the traditional route along the Baltal-Domel-Sangam-Panjtarni-Sheshnag-Chandanwari-Pahalgam axis lies in shambles.
Officials said the Pahalgam Development Authority(PDA) and the State's Public Works Department (PWD) were supposed to look into the timely snow clearance and subsequent maintenance of the tracks to pave way for smooth movement of pilgrims, thousands of whom traverse the route everyday during the pilgrimage.
Even the camps sites are lying buried in thick snow. Official handout from Information Department tactfully admitted this all. "As of now, the Yatra Camp sites at Holy Cave, Panjtarni and Sheshnag are covered with 6-7 feet of snow and the tracks, from Chandanwari onwards on the Pahalgam axis and from Domel onwards from the Baltal axis would require major clearing and repairs," the official handout confirmed.
Source said the administration has blamed the rough weather for the delay in preparedness. Officials said the Governor was given a written reply that his "important work shall be able to gain the required momentum, depending upon sustained fair weather conditions."
Taking a serious note of the lackadaisical, Vohra after the aerial survey held review meeting at Nunwan base camp in south Kashmir. He "impressed upon the concerned agencies to immediately increase the ongoing work and ensure that the tracks are cleared of the snow and all the facilities required for the Yatra are put in place well in time." The meeting among others was attended by the Deputy Commissioners of Ganderbal and Anantnag, DIG Srinagar-Anantnag, DIG, Traffic and other officials.
A senior official in the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board said it was the responsibility of the state government to ensure timely clearance of the tracks and the camp sites. "If there is any delay, it is on the part of the civil administration... PDA and PWD in particular," he said.
Office of the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir admitted that there was "some delay in preparedness". "But it has been more so due to bad weather and frequent transfers also remained a reason as officials couldn't properly concentrate on work," said an official asking not to be identified.
He, however, assured that from the coming days, the "efforts would be made for clearance of snow and subsequent repairs of the route."
In January this year, while presiding over the 28th Board Meeting, Governor said Yatra-2015 shall commence on 2nd July, 2015, an auspicious day of Purshotam Purnima of the Hindu Calendar.
"Considering the present carrying capacity of the tracks and other available infrastructure in the Yatra area, the Board decided that 7,500 Yatris, excluding Yatris who would travel by heli-copters to Panjtarni, would be allowed to register for Yatra-2015 on per day per route basis. On this basis there would be about 16000 pilgrims on the tracks every day," Shrine board officials had said. |
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