Early Times Report
Srinagar, July 1: As the death toll of Amarnath pilgrims mounts to a whooping 21, with fresh deaths reported today, the pilgrimage regulator Shri Amarnath Shrine Board has enjoined upon the intending pilgrims to be careful and sure of their health status before embarking upon the arduous trek to Himalayas.
According to official reports, Murlidharbhai, a 30-year old Yatri from Orissa, died due to cardiac arrest this morning at the Baltal Base Camp Hospital, after being evacuated from Sheshnag by a helicopter chartered by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB).
Responding to the emergency medical call from Sheshnag, on the Chandanwari-Holy Cave track, and in terms of standing instructions of the Chairman of the SASB/Governor of J&K, NN Vohra, that the Chief Executive Officer shall immediately provide all required help and support, in any emergent situation, to evacuate a seriously ill Yatri, the SASB officials organized a rescue helicopter sortie for providing medical treatment to the critically ill Yatri. Immediately on arrival at the Baltal Helipad, the patient was rushed, in a waiting SASB ambulance, to the Health Centre where, despite the best efforts of the doctors, the patient breathed his last.
Murlidharbhai, son of Kalandyabhai, resident of Khurda District in Orissa, was not as lucky as the other two Yatris who were evacuated earlier by the Shrine Board from Panchtarni and Brarimarg. Mrs Rita Bhalla, 48, wife of Lt Col Karan Singh from Punjab, had been heli-lifted from Brarimarg on 24 June to the Baltal Hospital when she had complained of chest-pain. Similarly, the Shrine Board organized a rescue flight late on 29 June evening to evacuate a 15 year old girl from Panchtarni, Ms Richa Singal, daughter of Pardeep Singh, resident of Uttar Pradesh. This rescue operation was carried out when the helicopter services had stopped operations for the day. Both these Yatris survived after being given specialized medicare at the BaltalBase Camp Hospital.
Expressing shock over the demise of Murlidharbhai, the Spokesperson of the Board reiterated the Board’s earlier advisories repeatedly issued in the past weeks, which had requested the Yatris to be particularly careful, keeping in view their health status, before deciding to embark upon pilgrimage to the Shri Amarnathji Cave Shrine in the arduous Himalayan region. He conveyed the Board’s deep sympathy for the kith and kin of those who had died during the pilgrimage, since its commencement.
The Board has once again urged the Yatris to get themselves thoroughly checked up, before traveling to the high mountains. The Board has already issued advisories to the intending pilgrims which,interalia, include carrying general medicines such as Glucose, Disprin, Combiflam, some biscuits or dry fruits, cold cream, vaseline, sunscreen lotion etc. The old and infirm Yatris have been requested not to embark on the Yatra in view of difficult terrain, deficiency of oxygen in the high altitude areas and vagaries of the weather.
Meanwhile, another young pilgrim, Munish Jain, 38, died near Zojibal due to a fall from horseback. With this, the number of deaths during this year’s Yatra has swelled to 17, which includes the sad loss of two porters.
A Spokesperson of the Board stated that 9,012 pilgrims had performed darshan at the Holy Cave Shrine yesterday. This morning, two batches of 3,397 and 2,081 Yatris left from the Baltal and the Pahalgam Base Camps, respectively, for their onward journey to theHoly Cave. From Jammu, 1,412 Yatris left for the Pahalgam and Baltal Base Camps this morning.
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