M A I N   N E W S

Safety first: Panel for cap on Amarnath yatris
R Sedhuraman
Legal Correspondent

New Delhi, September 17
The Special High Powered Committee (SHPC) appointed by the Supreme Court for suggesting measures to improve the facilities for Amarnath pilgrims submitted its report to the court today. It has identified pilgrims’ lack of proper clothing and footwear, their advanced age and poor health as the reasons for the high number of casualties among them.

The committee, headed by Governor and Chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) NN Vohra, has suggested a series of steps, including a cap on the number of pilgrims to be allowed to undertake the yatra every year. It has also suggested improvement in healthcare, tent facilities and track condition.

Only persons with “yatra permits” for a particular day and route should be allowed by the police to cross the access-control gates. No pilgrim should be allowed to undertake the yatra without proper permit and health fitness certificate. The committee also suggested that the doctors deployed on the yatra routes should be trained in high-altitude sickness management.

A Bench comprising Justices BS Chauhan and Swatanter Kumar asked all stakeholders to submit their response to the report within two weeks and posted the matter for October 5 for issuing directives, listing the steps to be taken to prevent casualties.

The committee had recommended that the state police and the Central armed police forces should augment the provisions for basic requirements like tents, beddings and toilets to their personnel deployed on duty, Solicitor General Rohinton Nariman said in a report submitted to the SC summarising the committee’s proposals. The committee has suggested that the “critical stretches” on the track from Baltal to the Holy Cave should be improved by the state PWD with assistance from the Border Roads Organisation.

The Pahalgam Development Authority should improve the track from Chandanwari to Panjtarni. The authority should also provide one-way package with separate tracks - one for the pedestrians and the other for horses/palkis near the shrine. It would also improve the existing track from Panjtarni to the Holy Cave.

The committee, however, felt that it “may not be possible to complete the work” before the next yatra in 2013 due to statutory clearances required for the purpose.

On the SC’s suggestion for replacing the iron grills at the Holy Cave with fibre glass to prevent the melting of the ice lingam, the committee said it might result in “greenhouse effect” and that the shrine board was the right forum for deciding the steps to preserve the naturally formed deity.

The case arises from the suo motu notice taken by the SC about reports of high number of casualties among pilgrims for the 2012 yatra.

PROTECTING DEVOTEES

• Taking suo motu notice of the high number of casualties among pilgrims during the Amarnath yatra this year, the SC appointed a panel to suggest measures for making the yatra safer
• The panel headed by J&K Governor and Chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) NN Vohra submitted its report to the court on Monday
• The panel has also suggested improvement in healthcare, tent facilities and the condition of yatra tracks
• It has also said that no pilgrim should be allowed to undertake the yatra without proper permit and health fitness certificate