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Health minister reviews Amarnath Yatra arrangements
NN Vohra,the governor of Jammu and Kashmir, who is also chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), reviewed a special sanitation drive by the Pahalgam and Sonamarg Development Authorities to ensure cleanliness of the camps on Monday.
NN Vohra, governor of Jammu and Kashmir, who is also chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), reviewed a special sanitation drive by the Pahalgam and Sonamarg Development Authorities to ensure cleanliness of the camps on Monday.
Vohra, who also reviewed the enforcement of the cleanliness and sanitation arrangements in a high-level meeting, said he will shortly visit the yatra area to review the results of this drive.
The governor, an official spokesman said, directed the SASB CEO Naveen Chaudhry to ensure all the langarwallas and other service providers keep their establishments neat and clean.
"The environment and ecology would be protected by ensuring collection and treatment of all wastes. There should be use of plastic shedders for disposal of plastic bottles and other plastic materials and segregation of waste materials for appropriate treatment," said Vohra.
The authorities have decided to educate the pilgrims to avoid use of polythene bags. "Instead jute bags, made available at the Baltal and Nunwan Base Camps, should be used," he said.
The directions have come after the Supreme Court took a sou motto cognizance of the rising number of pilgrim deaths.
Meanwhile, the health minister and members of the minsitry also inspected all medical aid centres established.
"They checked the number of doctors and para-medical staff on duty, and the availability of medicines, essential diagnostic and treatment equipments and oxygen cylinders," said the government spokesman.
"The health minister has ordered the use of critical life saving medicines, particularly at the high altitude Medical Aid Centres (MACs) at Sheshnag, Panjtarni and Holy Cave," said the spokesman.
Doctors and other medical staff informed the minister that many pilgrims do not come with adequate clothing and commence climbing without any acclimatization.
"Many of them start the Yatra from Baltal or Panjtarni without eating with the firm believe that they cannot consume any food or drink before concluding their darshan," said the spokesman.
The doctors informed the health minister that in many cases persons with existing medical problems have been able to obtain registration after furnishing compulsory health certificates which are illegally obtained.
"In one case, a Yatri who had recently undergone bye-pass surgery had been able to obtain a certificate which declared him fit for undergoing such an arduous Yatra at this high altitude," said the government spokesman.
The state health ministry has now directed doctors and Yatra officers at the base camps to position themselves at the entry gates to have a visual inspection of Yatris crossing the gate.
"Any Yatri seen with any symptom of illness should not be allowed to proceed further and necessarily brought to the MAC for appropriate treatment," said the spokesman.
