Guv announces Rs 3 lakh ex-gratia for next of kin of Yatris killed in accidents

Srinagar: Governor N.N. Vohra, Chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), announced ex-gratia relief of Rs. 3.00 lakh each to the next of kin of 5 Yatris who died due to shooting stones on Baltal-Holy Cave route and 3 cases of deaths in road accidents. This was announced during a review meeting held with Umang Narula, CEO of the Shrine Board Thursday.
CEO informed Chairman that during 28th June – 11th July, 2018, 20 Yatris had died enroute to Holy Cave. In addition, 2 Service Providers also died, thereby raising the death toll to 22. Out of 22 persons, 14 persons died due to medical reasons and 8 pilgrims died in accidents at different locations. The mortal remains of 17 deceased Yatris and 1 Service Provider were transported by air to nearest to their homes airports in Bihar, West Bengal, Hyderabad, Gujarat and New Delhi. The bodies of 3 deceased Yatris and 1 Service Provider were transported by road to their native places. The Board has also borne the cost of travel of one person who will escort the mortal remains of the deceased pilgrim to his/her home town. As on 11th July, 2018 the Board had paid Rs. 24 lakh as ex-gratia and spent About Rs 5 lakh on account of transportation cost of the mortal remains of deceased Yatris to their home towns along with one attendant.
Expressing grief over the unfortunate deaths of the pilgrims, the Governor conveyed his condolences to the bereaved families and issued instructions to CEO to provide immediate relief of Rs. 3.00 lakh in favour of the next of kin every Yatri who died in an accident.
Injured Yatris who require specialized treatment are being provided necessary care at Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences, Soura, Srinagar; the cost of such treatment is borne by the Shrine Board. As on 12th July 2018, 69 Yatris had been admitted to SKIMS out of whom 58 have been discharged and the rest are still under treatment.
On the 15th day of the ongoing pilgrimage, Yatra Convoy moved smoothly from Bhagwati Nagar Base Camp Jammu towards the Nunwan and Baltal Base Camps, carrying 3419 Yatris. Nearly 9480 Yatris proceeded towards the Shrine on both Pahalgam and Baltal routes. 18442 Yatris paid obeisance at the Holy Cave Thursday taking the total to 1,51,923 Yatris who have performed darshan of the Holy Shivling so far.