Srinagar, August 8 (Vijay Kumar) – The Governor, N. N. Vohra, has complimented the State Administration, Army, Security Forces, Police, local stakeholders and all those who were associated with the management of this year’s Shri Amarnathji Yatra and congratulated them for ensuring incident-free, peaceful and smooth conduct of this important annual pilgrimage.
Addressing the Felicitation Function organized by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) at SKICC, here today, the Governor expressed the Shrine Board’s gratitude to the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, for the State Government’s unstinted support for the smooth conduct of the Yatra and presented a memento to him.
The Governor observed that it is a matter for gratification that this year’s Yatra to the Holy Cave Shrine concluded without any untoward incident or law and order problem. He said that apart from providing the required security cover, the Police and the Security Forces also assisted the Board in the regulation of the Yatra. He said that the Army’s overall support, particularly for meeting the logistical requirements and effective disaster management preparedness, was invaluable.
The Governor said that hostile weather conditions, intermittent rains and snowfall, had posed considerable difficulties in the very beginning of this year’s Yatra. However, through determined and collective effort, all the challenges had been countenanced effectively. He said that despite adverse weather conditions, the work of track clearance and of putting in place the required logistical facilities at Base Camps and enroute, on the tracks, was accomplished in a time-bound manner, adding that all this was possible because of the prompt support provided by each of the concerned State Government Departments to the Board. He said that the Board was grateful to the Chief Minister and all concerned Departments for providing unstinted support to the Board in carrying out this arduous task.
The Governor lauded the two J&K Police Mobile Rescue Teams (MRTs), deployed at Sheshnag and Poshpathri, for their total devotion in ensuring the safe crossing of Yatris. He said that he has asked the Chief Executive Officer of the Board to institutionalize the deployment of MRTs for the future Yatra.
The Governor said that on his advice, the Chief Executive Officer of the Board, B. B. Vyas, had organized a meeting of Deputy Commissioners and Superintendents of Police of Anantnag and Ganderbal districts, Chief Executive Officers of the Pahalgam and Sonamarg Development authorities, senior Army, CRPF, BSF, J&K Police officers, Camp Directors and other functionaries of the Board this morning, both for stock-taking and experience-sharing in regard to Yatra 2009. He added that, based on the feedback and discussion in the meeting, the CEO would draw up a set of concrete recommendations and put them up to him, for timely necessary decisions being taken in regard to Yatra 2010. He observed that he proposed to discuss some of the more important issues with the Chief Minister so that the Yatra, which is a symbol of the glorious secular traditions of the State, is conducted in a manner which progressively deepens and widens the process of involvement of all the local stakeholders in the pilgrimage and ensures that various involved sections of the society are optimally benefited. He emphasized that the arrangements for the Yatra must develop close linkages with the broader tourism framework of the State Government and the local trade, travel and hotel industry so that the benefits of this important pilgrimage tourism activity are evenly distributed across all segments of the society.
The Governor, who is also the Chairman of the SASB, presented mementos to the concerned agencies and individuals as a token of the Board’s appreciation and thanks for their valuable support for smooth conduct of the current year’s Yatra.
The Chief Minister speaking on the occasion said that new benchmarks have been set in conduct of the Yatra-2009, which could not only be followed but upgraded and improved next year and in the years to come. He complimented the Governor for providing excellent leadership and guidance in the management of the Yatra 2009.
Mr. Abdullah said “despite inclement weather, we have done a commendable job by putting in place the required facilities for the pilgrims well in time”. He hoped that keeping in view this year’s experience, the Yatra in future would be managed even better.
Those who were presented mementos include Minister for Forests, Mian Altaf Ahmad, Minister for Tourism, Mr. Nawang Rigzin Jora, Minster of State for Tourism, Mr. Nasir Aslam Wani, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, Mr. K. A. Ganai, Corps Commander, 15 Corps, Lt. Gen. Bikram Singh and Additional Director General CRPF, Mr. Karamveer Singh.
Earlier, the Chief Executive Officer of the Board, Mr. B. B. Vyas, in his welcome address said that the Yatra-2009 has been a unique blend of cooperation, commitment and determination of all those associated with the conduct of the pilgrimage. He said that as many as 3,92,653 Yatris had paid obeisance at the Holy Cave this year.
Referring to the environment protection and pollution control measures, Mr. Vyas said that the Shrine Board had, for the first time, set up eco-friendly biological-based Sewerage Treatment Plants at the Baltal and Nunwan Base Camps, besides taking all other required measures at the enroute Camps, and in the Holy Cave area to ensure protection of environment and ecology.
The CEO, while listing out other initiatives taken by the Board, said that an on-line donation service had been launched a few days ago to enable Shri Amarnathji devotees, across the world, to make their donations on-line.
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