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Amarnath yatra rescheduled to July 9
Baltal route for pilgrims will degrade ecology: experts
Dul Hasti power project to get going by year-end
2 militants, 4 others killed in Kashmir
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Father, son killed as stove bursts
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Amarnath yatra rescheduled to July 9
Srinagar, July 4 It was otherwise scheduled to begin from July 6, even as it is already underway via Sonmarg-Baltal axis since June 21 last. So far, about 75,000 yatris have had ‘darshan’ of the holy ice ‘lingam’ at the cave after trekking 14-km stretch via Baltal. “It appears that the route is ready to receive yatris” for the pilgrimage, which is being started from Saturday next, said Dr Arun Kumar, Chief Executive Officer of the Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), here today. He said the ‘service yatris’ and those engaged in providing facilities to the pilgrims at various points along the trek would be allowed from July 6 on the traditional Pahalgam route. Even as the Amarnath Shrine Board proposes to take measures for the longevity of the ‘ice lingam’ of lord Shiva at the cave shrine, it has already started melting down due to the heavy rush of pilgrims reaching the cave daily. The Board had last year proposed to create a scientific mechanism for the longevity of the ice lingam. At least five km-stretch on the Chandanwari-cave route on Pahalgam axis and two km-stretch on Baltal axis, are covered under glaciers, which makes it difficult to trek through to reach the cave, Dr Arun Kumar said. The most difficult patch under heavy cover of glaciers was between Mahagunas and Panjtarni, according to the officer. He said the yatris had been advised to take precautionary measures by following do’s and don’ts issued by the Amarnath Shrine Board headed by the Governor, Lieut-Gen (retd) S.K. Sinha. The yatris had been advised to avoid night stay at the cave for lower temperatures and limited facilities available. To ensure this, the Board had been restricting the movement of yatris from Baltal base camp beyond 8 a m so that all of them return by the evening, Mr Arun Kumar said. Talking to newsmen at Raj Bhawan, the Chief Executive Officer, Dr Arun Kumar, who is also Principal Secretary to the Governor, said the registration of yatris for pilgrimage via Baltal was being strictly adhered to from July 6. There was no registration required for pilgrimage via Baltal route since June 21 last, when about 75,000 pilgrims undertook the pilgrimage till today. Over 75,000 others have also been registered at various branches of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank across the country to undertake the pilgrimage that would continue upto August 19 this year, the Chief Executive Officer said. The yatra this year concludes on August 19, which falls on the full moon of ‘Shrawan’ and coincides with ‘Raksha Bandhan’. In order to regulate the flow of pilgrims, the registration was necessary, said the CEO adding that insurance cover was also being given in case of any eventuality. Despite the Nitish Sen Gupta Committee report of 1996 and Mukherjee Committee Report of 2000, the total number of yatris to undertake the yatra every day would still be 10,000, according to the Shrine board. These would include 5000 each via Pahalgam and Baltal routes. The Amarnath Shrine Board had also arranged helicopter services between Srinagar, Baltal and the holy cave shrine. It was already equipped with four helicopters that had been carrying about 200 pilgrims every day to the shrine over the past 10 days, Mr Arun Kumar said. The Jammu and Kashmir Tourism Development Corporation had also pressed into service two helicopters for the ongoing Amarnath yatra. |
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Baltal route for pilgrims will degrade ecology: experts
Jammu, July 4 According to Prof M.N. Kaul, Principal Investigator on glaciology in the Department of Science and Technology “the ecology, the environment and the health of the glacier can be under severe threat in case the Baltal route to the holy cave was frequented by thousands of pilgrims.” He said here today “there are 6500 glaciers in the Himalayan regions in India and out of that 3136 glacier were in the mountain belt of Jammu and Kashmir, most of them in the Ladakh region.” He said “these glaciers constitute 13 per cent of the state’s total land and if allowed to assume strength year after year we can generate 80,000 MWs of electricity.” Mr Kaul, who remained Head of the Department of Geography in Jammu University before joining the Department of Science and Technology, has carried out research on glaciers. He said heavy pilgrim traffic besides mountain expeditions result in depletation of glacier and environmental degradation. He explained that “this depletion and degradation are the result of human breath, refuse and land erosion.” Mr Kaul said “when snow turns into ice it allows galcier to gain weight and size. The top of the glacier is called accumulation zone and the base the abelation which register evaporation and melting owing the human ingress and global warming.” The expert referred to the current Amarnath pilgrimage and said “it is for the first time the Baltal route has been exposed to heavy pilgrim traffic. He said during the past three weeks more than 50,000 pilgrims reached the Amarnath mountain cave from Baltal after the traditional route from Pahalgam remained buried under deep snow. He said “till the Pahlgam route was made passable after snow clearance operations another 20,000 to 30,000 pilgrims will use the Baltal route which is likely to affect the ecological balance and the health of the Nehnar glacier.” Mr Kaul said that since the inception of militancy in Jammu and Kashmir in 1989 “no field study on the behaviour of the glaciers in the Baltal area and other belts of Ladakh has been done because the experts could not work under stress and scare of militant activities.” |
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Dul Hasti power project to get going by year-end
Srinagar, July 4 This assurance was given by the visiting Union Secretary for Power, Mr R. V.
Shahi, during his meeting with the Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, here, today. He briefed the Chief Minister about the status of work on various Central Hydel Power Projects taken up in Jammu and Kashmir. The Chief Minister had proposed to open a specialised training centre in the state to train local youth for employment in various power projects. The Union Power Secretary said it would be favourably considered and he would put up the proposal to the Union Power Minister, P. M. Sayeed for appropriate orders. The Union Power Secretary said the proposed centre could make available locally the skilled manpower for the ongoing power projects. Following the agreement signed between the state and the Union Power Ministry in July 2000, seven power projects had been transferred to the National Hydel Power Corporation (NHPC). The agreement specifically provided for employment of local youth in the projects. The Chief Minister impressed upon Mr Shahi the need to speed up work on these projects estimated to generate 3000 MWs of power. Mr Shahi assured that the Union Ministry was working towards the goal of completing the projects in time. He also assured early completion of the 400-KV Wagoora-Kishanpur transmission line. The Baglihar Power Project would be completed on schedule next year, Mr Shahi told the Chief Minister. He said the Central Electricity Authority would soon open its office in Jammu and Kashmir, adding the Union Power Ministry had sanctioned Rs 1100 crore under APDR for all 12 districts of Jammu and Kashmir in response to which the Chief Minister asked the Union Secretary to expedite sanction to similar projects of Rs 84 crore for Leh and Kargil districts. The Chief Minister showed keen interest in underground cabling for power transmission at places like Boulevard,
Pahalgam, Patnitop and Gulmarg and asked the Union Power Secretary to explore the possibility of the project taken up by NHPC. He underscored the need for constant monitoring of power projects to ensure their timely completion and said monitoring is also essential to ensure the money was spent at the right place. The CM the state government has accorded top priority to power generation and distribution and Prime Minister’s economic reconstruction plan earmarking Rs 18000 crore for power sector in the state would change the entire power scenario in Jammu and Kashmir. |
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2 militants, 4 others killed in Kashmir
Srinagar, July 4 Security forces busted a hideout and arrested two militants with arms and ammunition at Pangroo in the frontier district of Kupwara last night, he said. Security forces shot dead two JeM militants in an encounter at Shopian in south Kashmir last night. The encounter followed after a search party was attacked by militants. Two AK rifles and other arms and ammunition were recovered from the militants, he said, adding that one house was also damaged in the exchange of fire. A militant was killed by security forces at Muqam today during a search operation. He said security forces recovered a body at Dadsar while the bullet riddled body of Abdul Majid Qazi was recovered at Rwoosa Dangiwachi today. Militants kidnapped and later killed Bashir Ahmad Khatana at Wagbal in Kupwara today. He said militants entered the house of an ASI Ghulam Hassan War at Sopore and fired at the residents. The ASI and his mother were injured and were later hospitalised.
— UNI |
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Father, son killed as stove bursts
Srinagar, July 4 The family was preparing dinner yesterday when the stove exploded, causing serious injuries to all of them, the sources said. They were rushed to a hospital here where Prakash and his son Ashish succumbed to their injuries, while wife, Aneeta, and daughter, Pushpa were battling for life, they said. The foursome from Bihar had moved to Pulwama recently and were working as labourers to earn their living, the sources added.
— PTI |
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Lightning kills jawan
Jammu, July 4 Sepoy Renvir Dhanpat was killed on the spot as lightning hit his guard post in the camp at Sargrewat Agli village in Darhal tehsil of Rajouri district, they said.
— PTI |
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