india

Updated: Apr 25, 2020 19:40 IST

Barely two days after a flip flop on annual Amarnath pilgrimage, Jammu and Kashmir lieutenant governor GC Murmu, on Saturday said that appropriate decision on organizing Amarnath Yatra and Budda Amarnath Yatra can only be taken after periodic reviews of the situation in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.

His comments came during a meeting with a delegation of Baba Amarnath and Buda Amarnath Yatri Niyas that met him at the Raj Bhavan here.

The delegation led by Pawan Kumar Kohli comprising of - Brig.(Retd) Suchet Singh, Leela Karan Sharma, Sudarshan Khajuria , Dr. Goutam Mengi, Karan Singh Charak, Rajesh Gupta, Shakti Dutt Sharma and Abhishek Gupta discussed various issues concerning the conduct of yatras for the holy shrines of Shri Amarnathji in South Kashmir Himalayas in Anantnag district and Shri Budha Amarnathji in Poonch. The Budha Amarnath yatra begins in the first week of August. The Budha Amarnath yatra begins in the first week of August.

Murmu observed that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, appropriate decision on organizing the Yatras can only be taken after periodic reviews of the situation, as a comprehensive planning and execution is involved in the conduct of the pilgrimages.

He said that around 20,000 health care professionals and 30,000 police and para-military personnel are working towards the containment of coronavirus, and their availability is also to be ascertained for the conduct of yatras.

Members of the delegation made several suggestions like curtailment of yatra duration; allowing specific age group devotees; preference for online yatra registration; commencement of Heli-yatra earlier and delay in on-foot yatra as per the prevailing situation; operationalization of single route (Pahalgam route) etc.

They also suggested the live telecast of the Pooja, upon which Murmu observed that a discussion has already been held on exploring the possibility of telecasting the Pooja and darshan of Shivlinga online and through other media for the devotees.

“The government will explore all possible means required for the conduct of the yatras. However, all these developments are subject to review, in view of the Covid-19 crisis”, Murmu maintained.

On April 22 evening Murmu had announced cancellation of the annual Amarnath yatra due to Covid-19 pandemic but moments later recanted his decision.

A senior official in the administration had attributed the roll back to Centre’s intervention and had stated that it was too early to take such a call.

“The Amarnath pilgrimage starts in the last week of June or first week of July. So, still there was enough time to take a call,” he had said.

Thousands of pilgrims either trek the traditional and longer 45 km-long Pahalgam route or the shorter 14 km-long Baltal route to one of the Hinduism’s holiest shrines every year.

The pilgrimage usually spans nearly month and half and takes place during July and August.

This year’s yatra schedule had been announced by the administration on February 14 according to which the annual pilgrimage would begin on June 23 and end on August 3 on the day of Raksha Bandhan.

Last year, the Amarnath yatra was cut short following intelligence inputs of terror threats ahead of the Centre scrapping Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.

Meanwhile, the number of coronavirus infections in Jammu and Kashmir rose to 497 on Saturday. A 72-year-old man from Tangmarg died due to Covid-19 in Srinagar on Saturday taking the death toll in the Union Territory to six so far.