Governor makes second visit to review entire Yatra circuit

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, July 3 : Within a week of the commencement of the Annual Yatra to Shri Amarnathji Shrine, N.N. Vohra, Governor, undertook a day long tour to visit all the Yatra Camps.
The Governor, who is Chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, accompanied by Navin K. Choudhary, Chief Executive Officer of the Shrine Board, arrived at Pahalgam early this morning and, after inspection of the Nunwan Base Camp he proceeded to Chandanwari to see for himself the functioning of the Control-cum-Security Gate and the counting of the Yatris embarking on the Yatra from the traditional route. At the Chandanwari Gate the Governor directed the Camp Director to moot a proposal for fixing railings and further strengthening arrangements at the Exit Point, to ensure the safety of the Yatris.
The Governor next stopped at the crucial Sheshnag Camp where he held discussions with the Camp Director, Additional Camp Directors and senior Army and Security Forces officers. Thereafter, he proceeded to review arrangements at the Panjtarni, Holy Cave, Baltal and Domel Camps.
At each of the Camp-wise review meetings, the Governor reiterated his directions to the Camp Directors and their staff to ensure effective sanitation and cleanliness, and particularly asked those running the Langars to ensure hygiene and cleanliness in and around their premises. He asked the Camp Directors to ensure that garbage was collected several times during the day and transported to the designated dumping sites. The Governor was satisfied to note, after talking to several Yatris at various Camps, that the medicare facilities are adequate and sufficient stocks of oxygen cylinders have been kept at all Camps, which were being replenished regularly.
During his inspection of the arrangements, the Governor noticed that there were no toilets in the Frisking Area short of the Nunwan Camp and outside the Nunwan Base Camp Gate, where Yatris gather in large numbers. The Governor also noticed that there was no place for the Yatris to seek shelter outside the Base Camp Gate in case of a sudden heavy shower. He issued instructions for these deficiencies being made good on urgent basis.
At Chandanwari, the Governor inaugurated a Medical Camp set up by the Bharat Sevashram Sangha, a Kolkata based NGO which has been rendering useful services to the pilgrims for the past several years.
At the Panjtarni Camp several Yatris met the Governor and complained that Pawan Hans Helicopters Limited was not running an adequate number of sorties every day because, reportedly, one of its two Helicopters were not fit to fly. The Governor asked the CEO to immediately take up this matter with Chairman and Managing Director, Pawan Hans Helicopters.
At the Holy Cave, the Governor paid obeisance at the Shrine and reviewed the queue system and the manner in which the Yatris were being enabled to perform Darshan.
At Domel, the Governor inaugurated a system set up by the Shri Amarnath Barfani Langar Organisation (SABLO) which would supply free power to illuminate light points located all along the track from Domel to Brarimarg. At the Baltal Base Camp, the Governor inspected the functioning of the Sewage Treatment Plant, the functioning of the Special Yatri Post Office and the Railway Reservation Counter.