SABLO warns boycott
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, June 3: The controversy has again marred this year’s holy Amarnath yatra starting from July 1 with Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) setting deadline for Langar Organisations not to cross the Jawahar Tunnel for establishing of langars enroute to holy cave before June 21 this year while the annual pilgrimage will commence from July 1. However, there was no such restriction last year and Langar Organisations were free to cross the Jawahar Tunnel at any date convenient to them.
The SASB order in this regard has given rise to a big controversy which has drawn a flak from public and also Shri Amarnath Barfani Langars Organisation (SABLO), who have strongly criticised the decision.
The people associated with the annual yatra from years together demand that the Langar Organisations (LOs) be at least given 15 days time in establishing their Langars at various camps enroute the holy cave. They, while expressing surprise over this year’s instructions issued by the Board, said it is not known that why every year avoidable controversies are created for the annual pilgrimage to hurt the sentiments of the pilgrims and people associated with the annual yatra.
As per sources, this is the first time when the SASB issued instructions to the Langar Organisations (LOs) not to cross the Jawahar Tunnel before June 21 i. e 11 days prior to start of holy yatra which will begin from July 1, this year. This decision is unacceptable to Langar Organisations as well as pilgrims intending this year’s yatra from different parts of country on the pretext that in such a short period, the LOs can’t be in a position to establish Langars on yatra tracks enroute the holy cave as taking up of the material for establishment of Langars to higher altitude in such a short span of time is difficult.
Sources, while commenting on the decision of Board said it is not possible for the LOs to shift the material to higher altitudes and terrains under harsh weather conditions in just 11 days from Jawahar Tunnel and set up the langers there as it will take them at least one day from Tunnel to reach the twin base camps of Baltal and Chandanwari and about a week to reach the higher reaches like Panchtarni, Sheshnag, Poshpathri and holy cave.
Sources expressed the hope that good sense will prevail upon the Board and it will rescind the order immediately to avert the controversy thus created.
Sources said there were no restrictions on LOs in crossing the Jawahar Tunnel before a specific date and time in past. It is not known what the Board wanted to convey by issuing such directives to LOs and what sort of a message is being sent across the country.
Sources said that LOs are providing selfless and free services to holy Amarnath yatra and instead of cooperating with them and encouraging them the Board is imposing restrictions on them to discourage them from providing free services to pilgrims. This can’t be tolerated by the people, sources added.
Sources said every year one or other controversy is attached with the annual yatra to dampen the spirits of the pilgrims and it is unfortunate that the Board has not learnt any lesson from the previous controversial orders issued by it from time to time which evoked a strong public resentment that this year it gave birth to yet another controversy.
Sources said the Board’s decision not to allow the Bhandara organisations to cross the Jawahar Tunnel before June 21 this year and also not to arrive at site later than June 27 is totally unfortunate. This time frame given by SASB for Bhandaras being set up on high altitude/upper camps is not sufficient as it will take near 10 to 15 days to Langer Organisations (LOs) to reach the respective camps to establish the Bhandaras there, they added.
Sources said the decision was taken by the Board without taking the ground realities like blockage of roads due to landslide, inclement weather, heavy rains and other problems that may take place in the way to reach the Bhandara sites into consideration.
In case of inclement weather during this period the process may delay further as ponies, Sewadars etc are being stopped from proceeding to their respective sites, sources said, adding that as a matter of routine, there is every apprehension of rain fall on yatra tracks every day and work is halted during rain. Sometimes, even the tracks are closed for Ponnies, labourers etc due to slips or landslides on the tracks.
Moreover the condition imposed on Bhandara Organisations restricting crossing of Jawahar Tunnel before 21/06/2019 may lead to a major safety and security concern to Bhandara Organisations as 300 to 400 trucks of Bhandaras will assemble at Jawahar Tunnel to cross it on 21/06/2019, sources said. There is not enough space available for such huge gathering and convoy. Moreover due to such huge gathering any untoward incident can not be ruled out, sources added.
Delay in setting up of Bhandaras at the higher altitude/upper camps due to lack of time given to them by SASB may also lead to great hardships of the pilgrims in case of inclement weather and non-availability of food and other basic livelihood amenities, sources said.
Further, due to reduction in the time period for setting up of langars the problem of shortage in availability of Ponnies, Labourers,etc will also arise because of gap in demand and supply i.e the availability of Pithoos and Ponies will be limited whereas demand will increase manifold as during these peak days the material of security forces, State Government administration and Shrine Board has also to be transported, sources said.
Sources said in the past, SASB has always been taking Shri Amarnath Barfani Langer Organisations (SABLO) into confidence and discussions were held prior to making any changes in the terms and conditions applicable to the Bhandara Organisations with respect to permission letters issued to them. But this time the precedence was avoided for unknown reasons.
Expressing resentment on changing the terms and the tone and tenor of wording in terms and conditions of the permission letters, sources said that it appears the SASB considers as if LOs are doing some business and not engaged in charity work during the Shri Amarnathji Yatra. “Such condition in the permission letters are unconstitutional and illegal as no Indian can be barred from entering Kashmir on his own will”, sources added.
Meanwhile SABLO in its meeting at Zirakpur, Mohali in Punjab today criticised the decision and warned that in case the same was not revoked they will boycott this year’s yatra.
The SABLO warned that in case, SASB doesn’t accept the demand, the langar organisations will boycott Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra 2019 to protest against what it called the `Nadarshai Farmaan’ of SASB because LOs won’t be able to setup bhandaras and start their operations on July 1 i.e the date of commencement of yatra under these restrictions.
The meeting was attended by Vijay Thakur, president, Rajan Gupta-general secretary, Amar Goyal – finance secretary, Vijay Mehra, Harsh Rishi, Tirlok Oberoi, Ajay Kumar Tony, Pankaj Soni among many others.
However, when contacted, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir, Baseer Khan told Excelsior that he has no knowledge of restrictions imposed on LOs to set up the langers enrotue the holy cave. “The decision is taken by SASB in this regard which manages the yatra every year”, he added.
Khan said, however, in case the Langer organisations have any grievance or they face problems on account of the decision taken by SASB they can approach him or send a representation so that the issue is sorted out amicably.
Meanwhile Vikas Verma, Deputy CEO, SASB said that the decision has been taken at higher level by SASB by taking all pros and cons into consideration. The decision was taken after taking the security agencies into confidence keeping in mind the security issue as well, he added.
He said he doesn’t think that 11 days time after crossing the Jawahar Tunnel is a less period in establishing Langars by LOs enroute the holy cave.
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