Chief Secretary visits Holy Cave; takes stock of amenities for pilgrims

PAHALGAM, JUNE 30: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today visited Shri AmarnathJi Holy Cave to take stock of services being provided to the pilgrims visiting the cave shrine.

He was accompanied by Nodal Officer Pahalgam Axis, Bhupinder Kumar; Deputy Inspector General of Police, Sujit Kumar; Deputy Commissioner Anantnag, Dr Syeed Fakhruddin Hamid; Senior Superintendent of Police Anantnag, Dr G.V.Sundeep Chakravarthy; Director Health Dr. Mushtaq Ahmad Rather; Camp Director Nunwan, Dr Vikas Gupta; Additional Deputy Commissioner Anantnag among others.

The Chief Secretary visited and reviewed the facilities at the Holy Cave and the SANJY Tatkal Registration Camp established at Pahalgam Convention Centre and Nunwan Base Camp.

At Nunwan Base Camp, the Chief Secretary took a round of the camp and had a comprehensive overview of all the arrangements by the Deputy Commissioner and the Camp Director accompanying him.

Dulloo assessed all the facilities being extended to yatris especially medicare, sanitation, drinking water, langar facilities, accommodation, transportation besides other utilities.

The Chief Secretary appreciated the facilities put in place by the district administration and different departments and Shri Amarnath Shrine Board.

He directed the officers to ensure that Yatris should be facilitated at all the camps and along the yatra route. He further instructed that health facilities should cater to all yatris especially in view of high altitude illnesses.

He enquired about the amenities created enroute and the locations of such facilities. He also reviewed the NDRF/SDRF teams kept available on both the axis. He asked about the status of communication, water, power and ration availability for the langars. He also impressed upon the local administration to monitor such facilities for their uninterrupted availability for smooth conduct of the yatra.

Notably, the Yatra has commenced from 29th June on both Pahalgam and Baltal axis and a large number of yatris have come for pilgrimage during these initial days of the yatra slated to continue till 19th of August, 2024.