Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, July 11: With 15,165 pilgrims performing darshan today, nearly two lakh pilgrims have paid obeisance in the holy cave of Swami Amarnath Ji during last 14 days of yatra.
According to an official spokesman, 15,165 pilgrims performed darshan of ice lingam in the holy cave today taking the number of pilgrims visiting the shrine since the first date of darshan on June 28 to 1,99,163.
The spokesman said, 4,371 pilgrims left for cave shrine from Nunwan base camp via traditional Chandanwari track early this morning under tight security arrangements while 4,780 pilgrims left from Baltal base camp via shortest track. These include 578 pilgrims who visited by air.
The spokesman said that 1,84,008 pilgrims had performed darshan in the cave shrine till last evening.
He said the pilgrims who left via Baltal reached holy cave by this evening and after performing darshan they started their return journey while the pilgrims who left via Chandanwari track after night halts at Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni will perform darshan after a gap of two days.
He said maximum yatris who performed darshan in the holy cave during last 14 days have returned to their home States.
The spokesman said that the weather enroute to holy cave was pleasant today.
Meanwhile, a fresh batch of 1,837 yatris left for cave shrine from Bhagwati Nagar base camp Jammu in 65 vehicles under tight security arrangements early this morning.
They included 1,386 male, 339 female, 12 children and 50 Sadhus. The cavalcade had crossed the Jawahar Tunnel by the evening and where on their way to base camps of Baltal in Ganderbal district of Central Kashmir and Nunwan -Pahalgam in Anantnag district of South Kashmir.
The Minister of State with independent charge of Health and Family Welfare, Shabir Ahmed Khan visited the Bhagwati Nagar base camp today and impressed upon the Government functionaries to gear up men and machinery to make available all facilities including regular power, safe drinking water, sanitation, health care, transport security, langer besides accommodation to the yatris at the base camp. He took the stock of the arrangements made by the district administration at the base camp for the yatris.
Meanwhile, a yatri from Andhra Pradesh (AP) was air lifted from Zojibal after she fell ill today, a spokesman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) said.
He said one Kavita, from Andhra Pradesh, fell critically ill and was advised by doctors to be immediately shifted to Pahalgam for further medical assistance.
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of SASB, Navin Kumar Choudhary informed that on the basis of a very precise grid reference provided by 4 Bihar, an Army unit deployed at Sheshnag, Pawan Hans was tasked to send a helicopter to Zojibal for evacuating her.
He further informed that 4 Bihar prepared a makeshift Helipad at Zojibal and also provided smoke candles to facilitate a safe landing of the Pawan Hans helicopter.
The ill Pilgrim was brought to Pahalgam Helipad where a team of doctors led by a Cardiologist, received the patient and shifted her in an ambulance to SDH Pahalgam for further treatment.
After preliminary treatment at SDH Pahalgam, the patient was shifted at about 0700hrs today to SKIMS, Soura, in an ambulance of Health Department for further treatment.
The CEO said the entire expenses on the heli-evacuation of the patient will be borne by the Board.
Follow our WhatsApp channel