Govt has no plans to construct road to Amarnath shrine: Rather

Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR,  Aug 19: After statements by separatists and Civil Society Groups in Kashmir valley regarding possible construction of road to Holy Amarnath cave shrine, the State Government today said they have no plans to construct road to the Holy place in the Himalayan Mountains of South Kashmir.
Addressing a press conference, Minister for Finance Abdul Rahim Rather said that the Supreme Court has constituted a Special High Powered Committee (SHPC) headed by Governor N N Vohra, who is also the Chairman of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board.
Rather said that the committee will visit the site, examine various issues and submit its report to the apex court. He said that the next date of hearing of the case is on September 10, adding that court has issued no direction for construction of road to the holy shrine.
Rather said that the apex court has identified seven issues relating to medical facilities, protection of environment, amenities at base camps and enroute the holy cave, method for collection and disposal of domestic and human waste,  facilities available for treating cardiac arrest  and other heart related problems and measures for handling huge crowd and seven times the  number  of yatris were allowed  to visit the cave shrine in a day.
He  asked people to remain vigilant and not get carried away by the propaganda and rumours and said that this year a record number of pilgrims visited the holy cave and they were provided adequate facilities enroute the cave.
Minister for Health Sham Lal Sharma said that the death of pilgrims is unfortunate, adding that the  number of deaths occurred this year is less as compared to the last year. He said that most of deaths were caused due to cardiac arrest.
Sharma said that out of over 6 lakh yatris, almost  3 lakhs yatris availed the benefit of   the  health services available at the camps and enroute the holy cave.
Civil society groups in Kashmir had expressed their serious concern over the recent SC directions to the State Government for undertaking civil engineering works leading to construction of roads and other infrastructure in the environmentally fragile Himalayan habitat around the Amarnath cave shrine in the Valley of Kashmir.
The chairman of both the factions of the Hurriyat Conference had also expressed their concern over such a move.

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