Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, July 11: The langar people, who went on strike yesterday, after dismantling of some tents at Baltal by the civil administration and police, today resumed functioning on the assurance of DGP, K Rajendra and CEO Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), P K Tripathi who rushed to base camp early this morning to defuse the situation.
Both the officers assured the Sevadars that such episodes will not be allowed to take place in near future. The DGP and CEO who were also accompanied by IGP Kashmir and senior Police and civil officers held a meeting with the Sevadars and heard their grievances. They assured them that no impediment will be created in smooth functioning of langars in future and promised full cooperation both from administration and Shrine Board.
An official spokesman said that the langar people had in principle agreed to call off the strike late last night when senior police and civil officers approached them and regretted for the yesterday’s episode. However the DGP and CEO had also assured them that they will themselves visit Baltal to ascertain the situation and hear the grievances of langar people tomorrow.
Meanwhile, on the 10th day of yatra 15,735 pilgrims paid obeisance at holy cave of Lord Shiva in deep Himalayas of Kashmir valley today. With this the total number of pilgrims reaching holy cave for darshan since the first batch of yatris left the Bhagwati Nagar Yatri Niwas here on July 1 has touched 1,47,441.
The spokesman said there is complete hustle and bustle at twin base camps of Baltal and Nunwan and thousands of pilgrims are reaching there for onwards journey to holy cave from rest of the country daily.
He said 7862 pilgrims left from Baltal to holy cave early this morning while 1065 left by air. Likewise 10,557 pilgrims left from Nunwan-Pahalgam base camp to cave shrine this morning for darshan.
The spokesman said the pilgrims having night halt at Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni also left for their onwards journey towards holy cave. He said the weather was cloudy for the entire day at both the base camps and tracks to cave shrine but there was no down pour.
Meanwhile, two more pilgrims reportedly died on way to holy cave today. They included Dani Ram Saho, 46 , S/o Gund Saho of Sarar Colony Johnbarg, Bhopal (MP). He died at Brarimarg due to cardiac arrest. Another pilgrim identified as Kanta Mandal, 36, S/o Mahanagar Mandal of Durgaganrpora, Karman Warwan, West Bengal died near holy cave also of cardiac arrest.
Another pilgrim Ram Kumar Bhai (60) W/o Babu Lal R/o Indore (MP) admitted in GMC on July 7 due to heart pain expired today at 1.30 am. With this the death toll in ongoing yatra has touched eight.
A fresh batch of 2556 pilgrims left Yatri Niwas Jammu for holy cave in a cavalcade of 70 vehicles under tight security arrangements early this morning. They included 1888 males, 492 females, 26 children and 150 Sadhus. All the vehicles had crossed the Jawahar tunnel by this evening and they were on their way to twin base camps. One Yatri bus had developed a snag at Banihal but later the snag was removed and the bus resumed journey towards base camp.
For the facility of yatris the administration has also established an Information Counter at Jammu Haat to provide the information to pilgrims about their date of registration. This was stated by Dr Piyush Singla, Additional DC Jammu who is Nodal Officer for Yatra. He said the administration has also established two langars at Jammu Haat and one chabeel is also being established to serve cold water to the pilgrims coming for registration to Jammu Haat.
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