Amarnath Yatra 2012 from June 25

As recommended by the Sub-Committee of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board headed by Sri Sri Ravi Shanker, this year Amarnath yatra 2012 will be for 37 days beginning from June 25 and will conclude on August 2 coinciding with Raksha Bandhan.

The recommendations of the Sub-Committee, which was constituted in July 2011 to advise the Board regarding the duration and schedule of the yatra in 2012 and beyond, were accepted in the meeting of the Shrine Board held under the chairmanship of Governor, N N Vohra at New Delhi.

The Board directed the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to timely commence the registration of pilgrims and ensure the effective management of the Yatra. He was also asked to arrange a Special Pooja on the day of Jyestha Purnima, which falls on June 4. This Pooja, if possible, will take place at the Holy Cave or at any other suitable location in the Yatra area.

The Board further directed that all possible efforts should be made, in coordination with all concerned agencies, to make a timely assessment to determine whether it would be feasible to consider advancing the Yatra by a few days, prior to June 25. 

In this regard, a specific review of snow melting and pace of snow clearing work would be undertaken in the first week of June. It was further resolved that if pre-ponement before June 25 is found possible, even by few days, the CEO will organize registration of Yatris through a speedy mode like on-line or even spot-registration.

The Board noted that a growingly large number of pilgrims have been losing their lives during the pilgrimage, particularly due to cardiac related ailments. As many as 45, 68 and 107 people had lost their lives in 2009, 2010 and 2011 Yatras respectively.

In this context, the Board observed that time has come to consider more effective approach and decided that pilgrims will have to furnish a health certificate issued by a Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP) at the time of registration. The enforcement of such a pre-condition had also been advised by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA).

The Board directed the CEO to issue a very clear advisory to inform every intending Yatri to undergo a medical check-up to assess his/her fitness for undertaking the arduous yatra. 

Referring to the helicopter services from Pahalgam to Panjtarni, which were started in 2009 on experimental basis for about two weeks before conclusion of yatra, the Board said heli services had been gainfully utilised by over 5000 yatris every year during the 2010 and 2011 pilgrimage.

The CEO informed that fresh contractual arrangements for the helicopter services from Baltal and Pahalgam to Panjtarni are being worked out and the schedules and rates would be notified shortly.

Expressing satisfaction over the measures taken for environmental protection, including the effective operation of two Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), based on the eco-friendly biological treatment, at the Baltal and Nunwan base camps, the Board desired that these measures should be sustained and progressively enlarged and upgraded for the future yatras. 

It was informed in the meeting that a comprehensive plan had been drawn up in this regard, in consultation with Sunita Narain, Director, Centre for Science and Environment, Delhi, who is also the Member of the Board. The Board also approved the proposal for significant augmentation of the toilet facilities at various camp locations in the yatra area.

All the Board members Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Dr Kapila Vatsyayan, Justice (Retd.) G D Sharma, Dr Sunita Narayan, Vijay Dhar, Pt Bhajan Sopori and Dr (Prof) Ved Kumari Ghai besides R K Goyal, Chief Executive Officer and Preet Pal Singh, Additional Chief Executive Officer of the Shrine Board attended the meeting.

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Amarnath Yatra By Helicopter

Altaf flags-off Helicopter services from Baltal, Jora, Wani from Pahalgam

Amarnath Yatra commenced today on both Pahalgam and Baltal routes simultaneously with Governor, NN Vohra, paying obeisance at the Sanctum Sanctorum and performing pooja amidst chanting of Vedic Mantras.He prayed for peace, harmony, progress and prosperity in the state.He paid obeisance at the Cave shrine, along with a number of Yatris.

The Governor during his visit to the Cave Shrine early in the morning also reviewed the overall arrangements made for the Yatris and expressed satisfaction at the support extended by the State Government, Army, State Police, Central Para Military Forces and other agencies.

He stressed the need for effective supervision and monitoring on continuing basis, for ensuring smooth conduct of the pilgrimage.

Later, Minister for Forests, Mian Altaf Ahmad launched a sanitation campaign organized by Shri Amarnath Barfani Langar Organisation (SABLO) with a view to maintain cleanliness in the entire Yatra area, particularly in and around the Langar areas. In this context, the SABLO, as its first ever initiative has decided to distribute environment friendly carry bags to the Yatris, to discourage the use of polythene bags.

CEO of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), RK Goyal, President SABLO, Vijay Thakur, General Secre-tary, SABLO, Rajan Gupta and its other functionaries were prominent among those present on the occasion. It may be recalled that the SABLO had presented a cheque of Rs. 2 lakh to the Governor in April this year as a token contribution towards the sanitation arrangements in the Amarnath Yatra area.

Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal, Showkat Mir, SSP Ganderbal, Imtiaz Ahmad and other officers were present on the occasion.

Thereafter, the Governor visited Pahalgam and Chandanwari and reviewed the Yatra-related arrangements. He interacted with the Yatris at the Cave, Baltal, Pahalgam and Chandanwari and enquired about the arrangements. The Yatris were appreciative of the arrangements made by the Shrine Board, the State Government agencies and other service providers and thanked them for facilitating their pilgrimage.

On this occasion, the Minister for Forests, Mian Altaf Ahmad, flagged-off the helicopter services from Baltal to Panjtarni, while Minister for Tourism, Nawang Rigzin Jora, and Minister of State for Tourism and Home, Nasir Aslam Wani launched the helicopter services from Pahalgam to Panjtarni in the presence of the Governor. The Governor, who is also chairman of SASB, thanked Mian Altaf Ahmad, Jora and Wani for the strong support provided by their departments to the Shrine Board. The Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag, Kifayat Ahmad Rizvi and Chief Executive Officer, Pahalgam Development Authority, Altaf Mir were present on the occasion.

The CEO of the Shrine Board on this occasion informed that the one way heli-fare for Baltal-Panjtarni and Pahalgam-Panjtarni has been fixed at Rs 2425/- and Rs. 345 0/-, respectively. Children, in the age group of 2-12 years, will be required to pay half the aforesaid prices.

He further disclosed that from Panjtarni to the Cave, a hilly track of about 6 kms, the Yatris may travel on foot or by Ponies or Palkies, as per their wish. The CEO noted that the one way Pahalgam-Panjtarni helicopter fare has come down to Rs 3450 this year, from Rs 3800 last year.

This year’s Amarnath Yatra, which commenced from Baltal and Pahalgam this morning, will conclude on Raksha Bandhan on August 13, 2011. The registration of the Yatris for this year’s Yatra had commenced on May 10, 2011, through 149 designated Bank Branches, located all over the country.

Meanwhile, the CEO has once again appealed to the intending Yatris to embark on the pilgrimage only after obtaining, in their own interest, a valid Yatra Permit.