Upgrade facilities, obtain early clearances for Amarnath Yatra 2013, recommends SHPC

Neeraj Rohmetra
JAMMU, Oct 4:  The State Government should provide all necessary funds for early implementation of the upgradation of Amarnath Yatra track before the commencement of the next yatra (2013) and ensure that all works are completed before the working season of 2013 is over. Further, wherever clearances are required under the related Environment laws the matter should be processed on a time bound basis by all concerned authorities to ensure the completion of all the aforesaid works before the end of October next year.
These recommendations have been given by the Special High Powered Committee (SHPC), which had been constituted by the Supreme Court to identify the reasons for high rate of deaths of devotees during the Amarnath pilgrimage this year and recommend suitable measures for avoiding similar situation in future. The report had been submitted in the Apex Court by the State Chief Secretary, Madhav Lal, who had been appointed as the Nodal Officer for mobilizing the required action by the SHPC. The Committee members had visited Shri Amarnath Shrine before culmination of the yatra to examine various matters related to the Yatra arrangements.
The SHPC in its report, which is in possession of EXCELSIOR says, “in order to provide safe and smooth passage to the Yatris, particularly during the yatra period, when there is acute congestion on the tracks due to simultaneous movement of pedestrian yatris and those on ponies/palkies, the limited space is available and also keeping in view the environmental concerns, the upgradation works should be approved and taken up for implementation on fast track basis”.
The reports says, “while it would be an ideal situation if it was possible to complete the upgradation works before the commencement of the Yatra 2013, the SHPC is conscious of the fact that a two month working season would be available in the current year, after which the entire area would be snow bound and inaccessible”.
“Furthermore, in 2013 also very little time would be available for carrying out works after the snow melts around mid to the end June and till the time of the Yatra commences. It is also to be kept in view that at some areas under forests, wildlife or eco-sensitivities zones may be involved and clearances under relevant conservation laws may be required, which may also take time”. The SHPC therefore recommended early implementation of these works with as much as possible progress during the current working season and before the commencement of the next yatra (2013) and ensuring that these are completed before the working season of 2012 is over.
The State Government should provide the required funds for four important upgradation works on the Yatra route. “Wherever clearances are required under the related Environment laws, the matter should be processed on a time bound basis by all concerned authorities to ensure the completion of all the aforesaid works before the end of October 2013”.
“There is need for improvement of critical stretches of the existing track from Baltal to Holy cave, which can be implemented by the State PWD Department with the assistance as may be required from other organizations such as Border Roads Organisation, which can comparatively mobilize the area quickly”, the report says. “There should be provision of one-way passage with separate tracks —- one for the pedestrians and other for the horses/palkis, near the shrine and this provision has to be made by the Pahalgam Development Authority. The Authority should also work for improvement of existing track from Panjtarni to holy cave and the track from Chandanwari Base camp to Panjtarni”.
For the Yatra 2012, Temporary Transit Camps had been set up for the overnight stay of the Yatris at Qazigund and Mir Bazar (Anantnag district) and at Manigam and Yangoora (Ganderbal district). “If these facilities are placed on a firm footing and suitably upgraded, they can be profitably utilized to meet the growing demands of tourism and for other suitable purposes, before and after the annual Yatra”, the report says. The SHPC recommended that all required facilities including shelter, toilets, water, power supply, etc should be provided at the aforesaid and other Transit Camps before the commencement of the Yatra 2013.
For the Yatra 2013, the number of Automatic Weather Stations should be augmented to cover Chandanwari, Pahalgam and Baltal and a Doppler Radar should be set up at IMD Campus, Srinagar on urgent basis as this facility will be able to provide accurate weather forecasts around the year in the entire Valley.
The Department of Telecommunications should be moved to take all necessary steps for providing inter-connectivity in the Yatra area so that the Yatris with non-BSNL mobile connections do not face any difficulty during Yatra 2013.
The Report states that the State Government has to provide funds to the State Public Health Engineering Department for laying underground water supply lines at Baltal Base camp. “This work should essentially be completed before the commencement of Yatra 2013”.
While noting the useful arrangements, which are being provided by the various concerned State Government Department for the smooth conduct of the annual Yatra, the SHPC is of the view that the Yatra requirements need to be reviewed from time to time. In this context, the SHPC noted that the High Level Committee (HLC), which is convened by CEO, SASB and chaired by the Principal Secretary, Home served a useful purpose in 2012 and recommends that the HLC should continue to function to overview the problems of future Yatras, with similar or modified terms of reference as may be necessary. The HLC should prepare an Annual Action Plan immediately after the Yatra is over, which clearly indicates the gap to be filled, the implementing agency, requirement of funds and the time frame for implementation. The SHPC also recommends that all the recommendations made by this HLC in 2011 be fully implemented before the commencement of the Yatra 2013.
“A Committee to be chaired by the concerned District Magistrate should be set up to grant permissions for the setting up of tents and shops at each Camp location taking into account the overall availability of space, the number of shops/tents, which are required to be set up, ensuring that the tents, beddings, etc. are of the specified standard”, the report states.
The Apex Court had on July 20 this year constituted a high-level committee to recommend measures to prevent the growing number of casualties among Amarnath pilgrims saying it has become a permanent problem and a regular affair.
The Court had passed the order after taking suo motu note of media reports of pilgrims’ deaths allegedly due to lack of proper facilities and medical care for them.
The Report has been signed by all its members including Brig T P S Rawat, Chief Engineer, Project Beacon, BRO; Dr M Q Ansari, AD, Central Pollution Control Board, Lucknow; Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science & Environment, New Delhi; Tanveer Jehan, Commissioner/Secretary Public Works Department; Navin K Choudhary, CEO Shri Amarnath Shrine Board; Himmat Singh, Additional Director General Border Security Force (West), Chandigarh; Anirudh Uppal, Special Director General, CRPF; B R Sharma, Principal Secretary Home; Nandita Chatterjee, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forest; Ashok Prasad, Director General of Police; A K Mangotra, Secretary (Board Management), Ministry of Home Affairs; P K Pradhan, Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Madhav Lal, Chief Secretary.

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