No effort by SMVDSB to boost pilgrimage
No FIR lodged by police, only report filed
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Nov 10: Even after two and half months when major tragedy struck at Adh-Kunwari on Katra-Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji track killing 34 pilgrims and wounding others, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board (SMVDSB) or a three-member inquiry committee set up to look into the incident is yet to fix responsibility and initiate action against those who allowed the yatra to proceed from Katra, the base camp of the shrine, despite weather advisory and heavy rains on the fateful day.
Also, the SMVDSB hasn’t initiated any steps to boost the pilgrimage which suffered major setback after August 26 tragedy which is expected to record the lowest annual figure this year in past one decade barring the year when shrine remained closed for many months because of COVID pandemic.
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Sources pointed out that even a First Information Report (FIR) hasn’t been registered by the police at Bhawan Police Station in the tragedy notwithstanding the killing of 34 pilgrims in landslides. Only a natural calamity report has been filed and no case has been registered, which appears to be an eye-wash.
There has been no official version on whether three-member Inquiry Committee headed by Additional Chief Secretary Shaleen Kabra and comprising Divisional Commissioner Jammu Ramesh Kumar and IGP Jammu Bhim Sen Tuti has submitted its report or not. The Panel was set up on August 29 and was asked to give its findings on the tragedy within 15 days.
Most of the people believed that the report may not see light of the day, like past.
What has further shocked the people of Katra and Jammu, whose economy depend on the pilgrimage, is lack of any initiative by the SMVDSB authorities to send a message across the country that the yatra is fully safe and they can come to Katra to undertake their journey.
“When trade and tourism fares can be held in different parts of the country by the Government, why can’t the Shrine Board depute its officers to different States and hold press conferences or interactions with the stakeholders to convey message that entire track is safe and protected and the people can come at anytime to perform darshan of widely revered Goddess Vaishno Devi Ji?” asked Rakesh Wazir, president Hotel Association Katra.
He said even holding regular press briefings at Katra can also send message across the country through media and social media that things are normal for the pilgrims. However, he regretted, all such measures are lacking and the reasons can only be explained by the Shrine Board officials.
Wazir also voiced concern over suspension of most of train services to Katra since August saying this has also hit the pilgrimage. He strongly criticized the Railways administration for their miserable failure in resumption of train services even after two and half months saying this is causing enormous loss to economy in Katra and Jammu besides hitting the local travelers.
Most of the people have also shown their strong resentment over the Shrine Board’s decision to suspend yatra for three days after it was resumed after 22 days of closure following August 26 tragedy.
“When the pilgrimage was to be closed on August 26, it wasn’t done. When the weather was fine, the yatra was suspended for three days. Closure of yatra for three days hit the pilgrimage for week to 10 days,” the people said, adding the Board had capacity to keep yatris safe at Katra, Adh-Kunwari, Sanji Chat and Bhawan etc.
While the Shrine Board has paid compensation to next of kin of those killed in August 26 tragedy, sources said the real justice will be done with the families only when those responsible for it are identified and action taken against them which will send message that such incidents are not repeated.
Further, the people were of the view that the Inquiry Report should be made public so that everyone knows who was responsible for the killing of innocent 34 people who came to perform sacred pilgrimage of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Ji but their bodies returned home.
“This is something very serious. People have right to know who is responsible for the tragedy-the Shrine Board authorities or the police administrations and action should be taken against them,” the people said. They also expressed surprise over not registration of any FIR despite 34 pilgrims were killed in the tragedy saying this means that no case is under investigation by the police authorities even after two and half months of the tragedy.
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