Committee to submit recommendation by Aug 10
NEW DELHI, July 20:
The Supreme Court today set up a high-powered committee to recommend measures to prevent the growing number of casualties of Amarnath pilgrims saying that it has become a permanent problem and a regular affair.
A bench of justices B S Chauhan and Swatanter Kumar formed the committee comprising senior officials of the Centre, Jammu and Kashmir Government, security forces and Amarnath Shrine Board.
It directed the committee to visit the shrine and give the report to Jammu and Kashmir Governor who is also the chairman of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), responsible for holding the annual Amarnath pilgrimage.
The recommendation made by the committee will then be submitted to the apex court by August 10 and the case will be taken up for further hearing on August 13.
The court passed the order after taking suo motu note of media reports of pilgrims’ deaths allegedly due to lack of proper facilities and medical care for the pilgrims.
“It has become a regular affair and permanent problem. So we want a committee of responsible officers to look into it. Lakhs of people go there and there are innumerable deaths. Passages are very narrow and people fall down and die,” the bench observed.
Pointing out the lack of facilities for pilgrims en-route and around the holy cave of Amarnath, the bench said they have to stay for days on glaciers without any amenities and proper medical care.
The committee will comprise of secretaries of various departments including those from the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Home Affairs, Health and Child Welfare, besides the Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir Government.
The committee will also include Director Generals of State police, paramilitary forces CRPF and BSF and the Border Road Organisation, besides the CEO of Sri Amarnath Shrine Board and an environmentalist, to be nominated by J&K Governor.
The committee will examine and report on various issues which include widening of passage, checking pilgrims’ health, improving medical facilities for them, deployment of adequate security personnel and assessing environment impact, the court said.
The apex court earlier had expressed concern over the increasing number of death of the pilgrims on way to the holy shrine and had asked the Centre and the State Government to explain the causes of growing fatalities. It had also sought details of the facilities being provided to the pilgrims.
“Some of the events that have been widely reported in the newspapers compel us to take a judicial notice of the lack of necessary facilities, essential amenities and the risk to the lives of the yatris, en route and around the holy cave of Amarnath,” the bench had said while issuing notice to them.
“…It is a matter of common knowledge that the path leading to the holy cave is not only very narrow but is even unprotected. The photographs also show that hardly any amenity is available for yatris in and around the holy cave, though thousands of people, who throng the holy cave, have to wait for hours and days for having the darshan,” it had said.
The bench had said every year the pilgrims are dying on their way to the holy cave and “it is again a matter of great regret that obviously because of the lack of proper aid and amenities, the death toll is rising.”
“It is expected of the Government and the concerned authorities to devote more attention and provide appropriate amenities and facilities to protect the lives of individuals, the environment as well as to make the yatra effective and successful, preferably without any human casualty,” the apex court had said.
“The authorities cannot shirk from their responsibility of providing minimum essential facilities, including medical assistance, roads and other necessary infrastructure,” the bench had said.
So far this year 85 pilgrims have lost their lives. (PTI)
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