Neeraj Rohmetra
Jammu, Nov 25: The State Home Department in consultation with Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) will finalize a detailed item-wise Action for Yatra 2013 by 31st December this year for the smooth conduct of pilgrimage.
These assurances were given by the top State Government officials in an affidavit before the Division bench of Justices B S Chauhan and Justice Swatanter Kumar of the Supreme Court, which has been hearing the case pertaining to the pilgrimage.
The State Government has constituted a High Level Committee (HLC), which is convened by CEO SASB and chaired by the State Principal Secretary, Home and the purposes of Committee is to overview the problems of the Yatra and ensure better management of the pilgrimage.
The Apex Court backed Special High Powered Committee (SHPC) in its recommendations had categorically stated that for the smooth conduct of the Yatra, the necessary arrangements need to be reviewed from time to time. In this context, the HLC has served a useful purpose this year and it was recommended that the same body should continue to function in 2013 to overview the entire Yatra arrangements.
Responding to this recommendation, the State Government has submitted in a written documents that HLC would prepare a comprehensive item-wise Action Plan for the Yatra 2013 while identifying the gaps to be filled, the implementing agency, ensure provision of sufficient funds and also decided the time-frame for implementation of the plan.
“The State Home Government has also submitted that it shall deploy at least four Mountain Rescue Teams (MRT) during the pilgrimage next year. Also, the State Director General of Police (DGP) in consultation with the Union Ministry of Home Affairs will take necessary steps for arranging specialized training and the latest equipment for these teams”, says the affidavit.
As far as the decision regarding the duration and schedule of the Yatra, the document says, “By middle of February, 2013 the SASB will determine the maximum number of pilgrims to be allowed to embark on the tracks, after taking into consideration the weather conditions and forecasts, track conditions, infrastructure available in the enroute Camps and at the holy cave, other required facilities. The Home Department shall ensure that only such pilgrims are allowed to cross the access control gates, who possess the Yatra permits for that date and the route”.
The SASB has also decided to introduce several measures for smooth management of the Amarnath Yatra. “The Board shall redesign the Yatra permits to be used for Advance/ Spot Registration of Yatris, which clearly mention the specific date and route of the pilgrimage. To ensure that all on-spot registration is within the total number of pilgrims to be registered for a particular date/route and doesn’t exceed the registration ceiling prescribed by the Shrine Board”, says the document.
The Home Department will ensure that only such pilgrims are allowed to cross the access control gates, who possess the Yatra permits for that date and the route. The Shrine Board shall also decide on the feasibility of providing wristbands along the Yatra Permits and also about the colour coding of these permits.
While recognizing the vital need to protect the integrity of the environment, SASB has decided slew of measures to make sure that the pilgrimage has minimal affect on the environment and several teams are likely to be constituted to monitor all concerns related to the issue.
The Sewerage Treatment Plants (STP) at Baltal and Nunwan base camps are likely to be technically upgraded as required. As the land where the STP is proposed to be upgraded at Nunwan belongs to the Government, the necessary statutory clearance is being obtained by Tourism Department on urgent basis. Permission for construction under the J&K Control of Building Operations Act has been sought. Thereafter, application will be filed before the J&K High Court as no construction activity can be taken up in Pahalgam area with its permission. The work on Nunwan STP is likely to be completed by June 2013.
Chairman, Pollution Control Board (PCB) will depute special teams for collection of water samples for analytical studies to monitor quality of water before the start of Yatra 2013, during the Yatra and after the conclusion of the pilgrimage. Further, Environment Impact Assessment Studies will be commissioned whenever mandated and required under the relevant statute by concerned agencies.
The SASB shall also revise the existing Terms and Conditions of the permissions given to Langar organizations and devise suitable monitoring mechanism to those conditions. There will be adequate monitoring of the implementation of these conditions and all cases of non-adherence will be penalized. The CEO, SASB shall also initiate consultations regarding the effective treatment of the Langar waste and finalize an approved Action Plan for implementation during the Yatra.
The document also states that Secretary Forest will issue necessary directions for effective enforcement of ban on use of plastics and put in place a mechanism for reviewing its implementation from time to time.
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