NEW DELHI, Aug 14:
In the wake of death of pilgrims during the just-concluded Amarnath yatra, the facilities and safety aspects of the annual pilgrimage today came in for close scrutiny in the Rajya Sabha after which the Government said additional steps will be taken in this regard.
Replying to a calling attention motion, Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said the special high-powered committee appointed by the Supreme Court is likely to submit its report by September and Government will take action on its recommendations.
He said the Government will look into suggestions made by members like starting the yatra early to the mountain cave in South Kashmir, making arrangements for mechanised removal of snow along the route and setting up a ropeway to the cave.
The Minister said as many as 6,21,145 pilgrims undertook the Amarnath yatra in 2012 which saw 93 casualties. This, he said, was lower than 106 casualties in 2011 when a total of 6,35,611 pilgrims undertook the yatra. There were 45 deaths in 2009 when a total of 3,92,653 pilgrims undertook the yatra and 77 in 2010 when 4,51,710 pilgrims participated.
The opposition led by BJP accused the Government of not being serious on providing proper facilities and safety measures along the yatra route resulting in death of pilgrims.
Recently, the Supreme Court had rapped the Government for inadequate facilities and has set up a special high powered committee to suggest ways to improve the facilities.
Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley charged the Government with reducing the yatra period under a “pre-conceived plan” even as number of pilgrims was rising.
He said going by the Government’s contention that proper arrangements have been made, “It seems that all facilities are there with utmost perfection. But ground realities are not so. You made a Board but you did not facilitate it by providing land for creating facilities.”
“The Supreme Court has desired that a Special High Powered Committee may go into the arrangements of the yatra and suggest improvements for the future. The Committee is expected to submit its report by the first week of September, 2012, after which any additional step recommended will be taken for the yatra in the future,” Shinde said.
Responding to suggestions made by the members, the Home Minister said, “Jammu and Kashmir Government and Shrine Board has control over the yatra arrangements…I will look into things myself. I will inquire about ropeway. The Governor has only made an announcement. There was no detailed project report. It is a good suggestion. We will look into it.”
To a suggestion made by Balbir Punj (BJP) about the Centre providing subsidy to each pilgrim of the yatra on the lines of the Haj pilgrimage, Shinde said, “He has made a suggestion. I will look into it.”
Shinde said since the terrain on which the Amarnath yatra is carried out is very difficult, the Centre will ask the State Government to look into widening of the path and strengthening of medical certification system for pilgrims.
“We are thinking of planning an authority for grant of medical certificates to pilgrims, particularly with reference to cardiology,” he said.
Listing out various measures taken by the Government for the security of pilgrims in Amarnath yatra, Shinde said this year 85 companies of forces were deployed, including 66 companies of CRPF which also had an all-women contingent. There are around 100 personnel in a company.
Leader of the Opposition Arun Jaitley said it was a matter of serious concern that the Government was reducing the yatra period under a “pre-conceived plan” even as number of pilgrims was on an increase.
“The time limit of the yatra has been reduced and pilgrims are increasing. During 1950s, the Yatra would remain open for four months. In 2009, yatra period was 60 days which was reduced to 55 days in 2010. In 2011, it was further reduced to 45 days and to 39 days this year,” Jaitley said.
He said the Government is not serious on the issue which was also raised during the Budget Session, even as he said adequate land is not given to the Amarnath Shrine Board to help improve the facilities.
Jaitley attacked the Government saying, “Facilities are grossly inadequate…Medical facilities are inadequate… Government should give land as the yatra symbolises religious faith of masses. Government should set up permanent facilities. People and industrialists are willing to create facilities of their own.”
He said, “Even some members of the Shrine Board, it seems, are completely opposed to the yatra…I don’t know whether they are agnostic or atheists.”
Jaitley urged the Government to have a relook at the facilities for the yatra and improve upon them to extend its tenure. “Government should rethink. This pre-determined notion should be done away with…Government should rethink on increasing its duration and provide more facilities…We can’t afford to lose so many people because of inadequate facilities,” he said.
He said there were suggestions that the number of yatris to the holy cave should not exceed 20,000 on any given day but at times there were 44,000 people.
Talking about the history and tradition of the yatra, Karan Singh (Cong) said it was wrong to say that Government was intentionally reducing the yatra period and demanded steps for early clearance of snow to increase the duration.
Besides, adequate security measures were needed in view of threats from extremist groups to thwart peaceful yatra, Singh said adding facilities to the pilgrims should also be improved. Others who spoke included Narendra Kumar Kashyap (BSP), Kumar Deepak Das (AGP), Devender Gaud T (TDP), Jagat Prakash Nadda (BJP), Naresh Agarwal (SP), Ishwar Singh (Cong), G N Ratanpuri (J&KNC), Prakash Javadekar (BJP), Anil Desai (SS), Ram Kripal Yadav (RJD) and V P Singh (BJP). (PTI)
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