* Pilgrims protest delay in registration
Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, June 26: Though annual Amarnath yatra starts from tomorrow with first batch of pilgrims leaving for holy cave in deep Himalayas in Kashmir valley from Yatri Niwas Base Camp at Bhagwati Nagar, here early morning, total chaos and confusion prevailed so far as the arrangements and registration of pilgrims are concerned.
The failure of the authorities to make proper arrangements for the yatris including opening of current registration centers at Jammu as was announced earlier has led to a lot of public resentment with hundreds of yatris who had reached here from various parts of country took to streets and protested against the callousness of the Government.
A group of Amarnath pilgrims today staged a protest at Exhibition Ground against the authorities for not providing proper facilities to them. They also accused the Government of not opening the current registration counters at Jammu for the pilgrims who had reached here from different parts of the country to perform the darshan at holy cave on June 28.
The protestors said that as per the official announcement the registration of yatra was due to start from June 26 at Jammu and with this hope they reached here today to seek the registration for darshan on June 28. But it is astonishing the registration counters have not been opened at Jammu so far.
“This way the authorities were cheating the pilgrims as people reaching here from far of places by spending huge amount to perform darshan of Icy Lingam at holy cave are subjected to an embarrassing situation by the State Government as well as Shri Amarnath Shirne Board (SASB),” they alleged.
The protestors demanded immediate start of registration counters at Jammu for pilgrims and alleged that the way the State Government and the SASB were tackling the yatra, it appears that they are not interested in running this yatra at all.
Raj Kumar, who led a group of pilgrims from Bhopal, MP said that every year the pilgrims are subjected to problems here and Amanath yatra is made controversial issue by the authorities.
He asked: “when no such problems are being faced by the pilgrims of Kedarnath and Badri Nath which is also a hazardous pilgrimage in deep Himalayas in Uttarakhand State why the Amarnath pilgrims are put to such a kind of Harassment by the authorities.”
Kumar also took the new NDA Government at Centre to task for its failure to impress upon the State Government to ensure the hassle free Amarnath yatra as the sentiments of crores of people are attached to it.
He said when in Opposition the BJP was making loud noise showing concern for yatra and yatris. “But in power they even failed to issue instructions to State Government asking it to ensure the hassle free yatra,” he regretted.
He said the lack of concern by the Government can be gauged from the fact that only two lakh pilgrims have been registered by the authorities for this year’s pilgrimage and the current registration has not also been opened so far. This showed that the Government as well as Board was going to make the yatra a low key affair, he added.
Shailender, another pilgrim from Indore, who along with other members of his group also participated in protest at Exhibition Ground here said their team reached here two days back and they were taken aback to find that authorities have not opened the registration counters as yet.
The pilgrims are asked to get medical check up from Government Hospital Gandhinagar from 8 am to 11 am which is totally impossible. The medical examination should be conducted upto 5pm and the special health centers be opened for the same near the registration office or Yatri Niwas, he added.
He said at hospital the doctors asked them to get the tests conducted from private shops and they will sign the same. Meena, another pilgrim from Jaipur, Rajasthan said that they feel harassed and their faith gets eroded as the authorities instead of cooperating with pilgrims are harassing and humiliating them.
Meena, who had come with a group of 10 pilgrims later left for Kulu Manali site seeing saying they have abandoned the programme of yatra to holy cave now.
Meena said that there are no adequate arrangements for pilgrims in the city for their onwards journey. The Yatri Niwas can house only 2000 pilgrims and number will exceed soon after yatra takes off, she added.
She said total chaos and confusion prevailed as the authorities are themselves in a fix and have failed to take decision regarding the fool proof arrangements for pilgrims.
However, when contacted, CEO, SASB, Rakesh Gupta said that all arrangements are in place for pilgrims. He said on spot registration was stopped up to July 1 as the Board deferred the decision to open the traditional Chandanwari track to cave shrine as the snow has not been cleared on it till date.
He said there is snow on Chandanwari track and it rained in Kashmir today also. The decision to stop the current registration upto June 30 was taken so that the Baltal track is not over crowded by the pilgrims.
He said so far two lakh pilgrims have been registered all over country for this year’s pilgrimage to holy cave.
Denying that there are inadequate arrangements for the pilgrims, Director Tourism, Sujaniya Sharma said that 2000 pilgrims can stay in Yatri Niwas daily and in the event of heavy rush the Government has made arrangements in Geeta Bhawan and other community halls and Government schools for boarding and lodging of yatris.
He said till late this evening only 950 pilgrims had managed to reach Yatri Niwas to leave for holy cave tomorrow.
The first batch of pilgrims leaving at 5 am tomorrow morning will be flagged off by Minister of Tourism G A Mir under tight security arrangements.
It may be recalled that the Government has made three tier security arrangements for the pilgrims right from Lakhanpur to holy cave to avert any untoward incident.
Meanwhile, District Development Commissioner, Kathua, Jitendra K Singh who was accompanied by DIG, Jammu Kathua Range Shakeel Ahmed Beig today received and flagged off holy Amarnath Yatra at Lakhanpur.
Early the two officers inaugurated the newly set up yatri assistance and registration centre at Lakhanpur near New Toll Plaza Complex.
The DC, while interacting with yatris gave information brochure and leaflets containing important maps and telephone numbers.
He said the district administration has made elaborate arrangements for the yatris including their security, helpline and boarding and lodging in case of stay of yatra.
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