Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, June 18 : Governor, N.N.Vohra, who is the Chairman of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, held a meeting today to review the to-date status of snow- melt and the progress so far achieved in the clearance of tracks and the sites of the Yatra Camps.
R. K. Gupta, Chief Executive Officer, Preet Pal Singh, Additional Chief Executive Officer and other senior officers of the Board who attended the meeting reported to the Chairman the status of the repair and renovation works which are ongoing in the Yatra area.
Prior to the meeting, the CEO had spoken to the Camp Directors located at Baltal, Holy Cave, Panjtarni, Sheshnag and Chandanwari and also to HQ, Victor Force to obtain the latest position regarding the accumulation of snow on the tracks and at the sites of the various Yatra Camps en-route the Holy Cave.
As per the reports, there is one feet of snow at Zojibal, 4 feet at Sheshnag, 7 feet at MG Top and Poshpatri, one feet at Panjtarni, 4 feet at Sangam and 6 feet at Holy Cave. In view of the very slow rate of snow melt at Chandanwari, serious apprehension was expressed about the possibility of the Yatra commencing from the Chandanwari route on June 28, 2014, the date on which the Yatra is scheduled to commence.
The Governor asked the CEO to prepare a daily report on the status of the snow melt in the entire Yatra area and about the various arrangements which are underway. The Governor stressed on the CEO to ensure against any slippage in the deadlines fixed for the concerned departments/agencies to complete the preparatory works assigned to them.
The Governor directed that the CEO should undertake an on-ground assessment of the entire Yatra route and travel Baltal-Holy Cave- Panjtarni-Sheshnag-Chandanwari, commencing his tour on June 21, 2014. It was also decided that the next review meeting would be held on June 23, 2014, on the CEO’s return, to arrive at the required decisions about the Yatra schedule.