Srinagar, October 15 (Scoop News) – Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah Saturday announced free of cost influenza vaccination for Haj pilgrims of the State made mandatory by the Government of Saudi Arabia for Haj-2011. The cost of per dose of the vaccine is reportedly over Rs. 600 and it would be available to all Haj pilgrims travelling on Government quota or privately. The Haj pilgrims are also receiving free of cost vaccination for meningitis.
The Chief Minister gave this direction to the Health Department at a high level meeting he chaired here this morning to review the arrangements put in place by the State Government and the Haj Committee for Haj-2011.
Emphasizing the need for operationalzing Srinagar International Airport for Haj flights, the Chief Minister said that Civil Aviation Ministry should remove all bottlenecks in this regard and ensure that the status of the Airport as an International one is restored. “Till International flights to and from Srinagar Airport are scheduled, the Department of Civil Aviation should at least conduct direct Haj flights from Srinagar to Jeddah to facilitate Haj pilgrims of the State”, he said adding that the State Government is actively advocating this aspect at the Central level vehemently. He expressed the hope that the Civil Aviation Department would ensure direct Haj flights from Srinagar next year.
Omar Abdullah said that two members of Haj Committee have been deputed this year to Jeddah to oversee the functioning of Khudam-ul-Hujaj there. “Each Khudam has been provided with a mobile phone to remain in touch with the Hujaj and respond to their needs”, he added.
The Chief Minister received detailed appraisal of the accommodation arranged at Jeddah for Haj pilgrims, facilities put in place for their stay at Haj Houses in Jammu and Srinagar, their transhipment from various districts to the Srinagar Haj House, food and bedding arrangements and flight schedules organized for their onward journey. He also enquired about the travel documents, time frame fixed for movement of Haj pilgrims from Srinagar Haj House to the Airport, their boarding and food arrangements at the Airport.
Omar Abdullah asked the State administration to ensure all measures for making the travel and stay of Haj pilgrims comfortable. He also advised the Aazmeen-i-Haj to avoid carrying large luggage. He said the Haj pilgrims repose great faith in the Haj Committee and State Government and expect that these would be at their beck and call even at Jeddah. “We have to come up to their expectations and try our best to render our service to them in a befitting manner”, he said adding that whatever help the Haj Committee and the State Government could give Hujaj at Jeddah they should extend it positively.
Speaking in the meeting Minister of State for Haj and Auqaf, Aijaz Ahmad Khan said that more than 8,200 Aazmeen-i-Haj are travelling on government quota to perform Haj-2011. “We have made all arrangements here and en-route to make their journey and stay comfortable”, he added.
The Haj Minister said that due to the intervention of the Chief Minister at the highest level in Government of India, the Haj quota of the State this year has been raised by about 2,300 seats. He said travel documents for the Aazmeer-i-Haj have been received and are being handed over to them at Srinagar Haj House where security checking and checking of luggages would also be conducted before departure of the Aazmeen towards Srinagar Airport.
The representatives of Airport Authority and Indian Airlines assured that they would ensure all facilities to the Haj pilgrims. The representative of BSNL said that BSNL has installed a free PSO at the Srinagar Haj House for the Haj pilgrims.
Responding to the issue raised by Airport Authority regarding the Air Force operation at Srinagar Airport from 17th of October 2011, the Chief Minister said that he would take up this matter with the Union Defence Minister and ask for its postponement or change of timing till the Haj flights from Srinagar are over.
Legislators, Mir Saifullah and Jahangir Mir, Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, B. B. Vyas, various Administrative Secretaries, Members of the Haj Committee, Divisional Commissioners, Heads of the Departments and senior civil and police officers were present in the meeting.
The meeting was informed that Haj flights will start from Srinagar from October 17, 2011. From this date to 24th October there will be four flights daily schedule by Air India to carry 800 Aazmeens. From 25th to 30th of October only one flight will be operational to carry about 300 Haj pilgrims daily.
The departure of first flight from Srinagar Airport will be 9.30 a.m., the second will leave at 10.00 a.m. while the third will be at 11.00 a.m. and the fourth at 3.45 p.m.