Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 23: Shiv Sena J&K unit has accused Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) and Government of neglecting the recommendations of the Nitesh Sen Committee regarding annual pilgrimage to holy cave.
The Party blamed the present regime in J&K for focusing only on increasing the number of tourists in the Union Territory instead of protecting environment.
Addressing a press conference at Party’s State Central Office here, today, Manish Sahni, president Shiv Sena J&K said that thousands of devotees’ who were still waiting to have Darshan of Baba Barfani, are getting disheartened due to mismanagement and preservation of naturally formed ice lingam of Lord Shiva.
“While the Government knew that not only India, but the whole of Europe was also suffering from the heat caused by climate change, despite all this, the recommendations of the Nitesh Sen Committee were ignored deliberately,” he said.
Sahni said as per the Sen Committee, a total of 7000 yatris were recommended to be sent daily from both the travel routes, whereas at present more than 10 thousand pilgrims were being sent daily and besides the deployment of thousands of soldiers for the security of both the routes, administrative staff, Langar, etc. about 20 thousand people including Sewa Dar, Pittu Wale i.e, were present near the Amarnath Yatra routes and cave. Helicopter service and rounds were increased on it due to which the holy Amarnath cave and the surrounding environment has been drastically affected resulting in increase in the temperature that can affect the naturally formed Lingam.
Sahni said that if all the recommendations of the Committee had been implemented on ground, perhaps the huge damage caused by the nature disaster of cloudburst on July 8 could have been avoided. He reminded that about 16 people died in the cloudburst.
Sahni said that the Government is providing better facilities to the pilgrims, but along with this, protecting the environment and respecting the topography should not be neglected at any costs.
Among those who were present include Vikas Bakshi, Raj Singh, Shashipal, Mangu Ram, Naresh Kumar and Ashok Kumar.
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