Secretary RDD visits Holy Cave; takes stock of sanitation readiness for Amarnath Yatra
Baltal: Secretary, Rural Development Department (RDD) and Panchayati Raj, Mohammad Aijaz Asad, Saturday conducted an extensive tour of Baltal axis to assess the sanitation facilities being put in place for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra 2025.
He reviewed the facilities from Baltal Base Camp through Rail Pathri up to the Holy Cave, inspecting sanitation units and checking the deployment status at various points.
The Secretary was accompanied by Director General (DG) Rural Sanitation, Anoo Malhotra; Assistant Commissioner Panchayat, Nodal Officers and other district officers of Ganderbal.
He emphasized upon the urgency of proper maintenance of the installed sanitation units at all designated sites, pointing out deficiencies at few locations and directing immediate action to plug the loopholes.
The Secretary instructed that full deployment of sanitation personnel be ensured with proper supervision by the designated nodal officers who must remain present at the sites. He also asked for proper disposal of mule dung and biomedical waste. He directed the officials to streamline collection processes, ensuring no inconvenience to pilgri He underscored the importance of mobility management, asking the concerned officials to ensure smooth operations across all transit and resting points.
The Secretary called for establishing control rooms at DRS to enable real-time monitoring, with a system of daily calls and status updates to ensure accountability. He also directed that sanitation workers be provided with adequate shelter, food and electricity connections to support their efforts during the yatra.
Reiterating the government’s commitment towards providing a safe and clean environment for the Yatris, the Secretary said the Directorate of Rural Sanitation shall work in coordination with other agencies/departments and ensure every loophole is plugged well before the commencement of the yatra.
The Secretary emphasized that the department remains fully committed towards ensuring the highest standards of facilities and services for the Yatra pilgri
During his visit, the Secretary reviewed installation and functionality of various sanitation infrastructures including the toilets, washrooms, dustbins, drainage for grey water disposal, segregation of wet waste site, plastic waste management site and other sanitation facilities along the Baltal axis.
The Secretary also examined the installation of dustbins around the base camp and yatra route to ensure effective waste disposal, segregation of waste at source and promote cleanliness among the pilgri
Inspecting the arrangements on the ground, the Secretary underscored that quality service delivery and hygienic conditions are non-negotiable. He asked the officials to adopt a pilgrim-centric approach and ensure that all necessary arrangements are made promptly for the convenience and well-being of devotees.
Aijaz Asad called for immediate redressal of complaints, especially those related to hygiene, through a real-time response system. He instructed the concerned officials to ensure that every pilgrim has access to the best possible sanitation facilities.
