Jammu/April,7: Umang Narula, who has taken over as Principal Secretary to the Governor has been appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board.
After Narula’s taking over, Governor N.N. Vohra, Chairman of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, Friday reviewed arrangements for the next Yatra which is scheduled to commence on 29th June 2017. Besides, CEO, the Review Meeting was attended by Jitendra Kumar Singh, Addl. CEO, R.K. Pandita, General Manager (Works) and other concerned officers of the Board.
The Governor reviewed item wise, the action so far taken to make the required arrangements for the forthcoming Yatra. Briefly, the arrangements cover: Advance Registration of Yatris has commenced through 436 branches of Punjab National Bank (PNB), Jammu and Kashmir Bank and YES Bank which are spread over 32 States and UTs in the country; special registration facility has been provided to ex-India pilgrims through Punjab National Bank and for Group Pilgrimage through the Group Registration facility; more than one lakh intending Yatris have already secured Advance Registration after obtaining Compulsory Health Certificates.
It was noted, with serious concern, that despite repeated reminders the Uttar Pradesh Government is the only State which has still not intimated the Doctors and Medical Institutes nominated to issue Health Certificates. It was decided that Governor shall send urgent letters to Governor and Chief Minister Uttar Pradesh to seek their help to secure the much awaited information regarding designation of Doctors/ Hospitals authorized to issue Compulsory Health Certificates
The Governor was informed about the arrangements which are planned to be put in place on the Pahalgam and Baltal Yatra routes. These include power and water supply along the tracks and in the Camps; extensive medical facilities in the entire Yatra area including 66 Medical Camps to be set up by the State Health Department, Army, BSF, CRPF, SSB, ITBP and J&K Police. The Base Hospitals, Medical Aid Centers and Emergency Aid Centers will have trained Doctors/ Paramedicals, cardiac life support, high altitude medicines, oxygen kiosks etc. Along the tracks and in the Camps there will be 2619 toilets, 503 baths, 876 dustbins, 445 sign boards and 3488 water points. For the convenience of Yatries, additional wayside resting places have also been planned along both the tracks and potable drinking water will be provided by installing water purifiers at identified places.
Governor directed that time- bound action should be taken to finalize and fully complete all action regarding the registration of ponies, Pony-wallas, Dandi-wallas and Palki-wallas and it should be ensured that no person can embark unauthorisedly on the Yatra tracks. Further permissions for pitching tents and shops must be issued timely by the Deputy Commissioners of Anantnag and Ganderbal districts.
As both the tracks and the Camp sites in the entire Yatra area have received unprecedently heavy snow fall this winter, Governor directed day to day monitoring of snow clearance and implementation of the repair and improvement works which are required to be carried out by various concerned Government agencies.
The Governor asked CEO to inform the CEOs of the Pahalgam and Sonamarg Development Authorities to take timely action to ensure collection and disposal of all garbage which would be generated during the Yatra. He directed CEO to provide more dustbins en-route Holy cave and for the sanitation arrangements being strictly monitored on daily basis, particularly ensuring the effective functioning of the STP’s at the Nunwan and Baltal Base Camps and ensure that cleanliness is maintained in all the Camps. CEO reported that about 400 workers will be deployed every day for carrying out sanitation and camp cleaning.
