The brazen violation of environmental norms witnessed during the Amarnath yatra in recent years had attracted the attention of ecological experts who had voiced their serious concern over the fragile ecology of the areas falling on Amarnth yatra route . Fact remains that the bottled water, consumables like chips in polythene packets and non-biodegradable items are sold to yatris proceeding for visiting the Amarnath cave every year and consequently the area is polluted in a big way. It is very unfortunate that yatris lacking awareness take non bio-de-gradables on the traditional Amarnath cave route. Huge heaps of plastic and polythene, used by langars serving food, at several places along the Amarnath cave route are making the area ecologically fragile. A study by National Geophysical Research Institute, Hyderabad, had few years back warned of receding glaciers in Pahalgam area, particularly Kohlai glaciers, the main source of water for Lidder and this is more serious issue of concern for ecologists. Interestingly report says that one of the valley’s largest Kohlai glacier has been fast receding over the past decade.
Keeping in view the disturbing ecological imbalances caused by the unprecedented increase in the number of yatris travelling to holy amaranth cave neither the period of Amarnath yatra nor the number of yatris visiting the Amarnath cave should be increased in future.
Small glaciers have disappeared and the thickness of the glaciers has reduced by more than two third and most of the springs in the valley have dried up and the remaining are drying up.It was in the backdrop of such alarming impact of the pilgrimage on water sources and ecology that the Nitish Sengupta Commission, constituted in 1996 following deaths of yatris due to inclement weather, advised regulated number of yatris on a particular day. The commission warned against allowing more than 20,000 yatris a day. The report also says that in case a natural disaster occurs, the effect on yatris would be minimal. If there is larger number of yatris on the high ranges and say a cyclone or natural disaster occurs, casualties might be high. As long as only 20,000 yatris are there, they would be able to take shelter in existing huts and be safe. On the contrary, the government says that record number of over and above six lakh yatris perform yatra every year and just few years back deaths of 42 yatris generated a heated controversy within and outside the state. Keeping in view the disturbing ecological imbalances caused by the unprecedented increase in the number of yatris travelling to holy amaranth cave neither the period of Amarnath yatra nor the number of yatris visiting the Amarnath cave should be increased in future.
