Srinagar, Aug 16: The Governor  N N Vohra, has complimented and thanked the State Administration, Army, Central Police Forces, J&K Police, local stakeholders, people at large and all those who were associated with the management of this year’s Amarnath Yatra.
 He congratulated all of them for their valuable support for ensuring the smooth and peaceful conduct of this arduous pilgrimage.
 The Governor while addressing the Post-Yatra Review Meeting at Raj Bhavan here lauded the excellent synergy and very high level of coordination among the Civil Administration, Shrine Board, Army, Security Forces, State Police and each of the Government Departments and agencies involved with Yatra-2011.
 The Governor observed that today’s Post-Yatra Review Meeting had been convened to obtain feedback and the suggestions regarding the need to change existing systems and procedures from each of the officers who were manning various responsible positions during this year’s Yatra.
 Based on such valuable feedback the Shrine Board shall endeavour to plan to introduce meaningful improvements in the management of Yatra 2012 to provide the best possible amenities to the Yatris.
 Referring to the record number of over 6.35 lakh Yatris who undertook the pilgrimage this year, asked the Chief Executive Officer of the SASB  R K Goyal, to draw up an objective assessment of the wherewithal available with the various concerned agencies to cater satisfactorily to the requirements of the progressively increasing pilgrimage.
 In this context, he drew particular attention to the condition of the tracks after spells of heavy rains, nature and adequacy of facilities available along the tracks and at the transit Camps, specially gents and ladies urinals, drinking water facilities, medical check points, arrangements for Disaster Management, adequacy of Access Control arrangements at Domel and Chandanwari etc.
 Observing that 107 persons had died during this year’s Yatra, of whom around 100 had lost their lives because of heart related problems, he stressed the need for enforcing certain regulatory conditions in regarding to the medical fitness of the Yatris. He added that the safety and security of the Yatris is the prime concern of the Shrine Board and, as such, all related issues would need to be kept in view in planning future Yatras.
 The Governor, who is the Chairman of the SASB, laid emphasis on ensuring cleanliness and effective sanitation in the base camps, camps enroute and the entire Yatra area.
 In this context, he referred to his recent visits to the Holy Cave, Panjtarni, Baltal and Domel and observed that while a good deal of cleaning had been done he had given 20th August as the time frame for completion of this task by the Sonamarg and Pahalgam Development Authorities and those engaged by the Shrine Board to carry out cleaning operations.
 He said that he shall again be visiting the Yatra area in the coming days to see for himself the results of the special sanitation drive.
 The issues which came under detailed discussion during the meeting included (I) review of the existing system of registration of Yatris and measures for more effective access control at the Chandanwari and Domel Barriers; (II) critical assessment of the sanitation arrangements at various Camps and operation of Sewage Treatment Plants at Baltal and Nunwan; (III) operation of helicopter services; (IV) effective enforcement of the rates to be charged by the pony and dandiwallahs, labour etc to ensure against over-charging by the service providers.  
 The CEO SASB while thanking one and all for the very high level of coordination, said that it was due to the excellent synergy that despite varied challenges the Yatra was managed in a very smooth manner.
 Detailed discussions were held and a number of valuable suggestions were put forth by the participants of the meeting in regard to all aspects of the Yatra in the meeting, chaired by the CEO, which proceeded for almost the whole day, with a view to identify specific areas of improvements and include these while planning the approaches for Yatra-2012.
 Senior Officers of the Army, Security Forces, Police, Brig. R. N. Painuly, DIG BSF, Srinagar, Shyam Chand, DIG, CRPF, Srinagar, Kifayat Ahmad Rizvi, Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag, Showkat Mir, Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal, R. K Jalla, SSP Islamabad (Anantnag), Shahid Meraj, SP Ganderbal, Preet Pal Singh, Additional Chief Executive Officer of the Board, Farooq Ahmed Shah, Director Tourism, Kashmir, Ghulam Rasool Mir, Director Animal Husbandry, Kashmir, Mahesh Shukla, Senior General Manager, BSNL, Srinagar, Mir Altaf Hussain, Chief Executive Officer, Pahalgam Development Authority, Muhammad Yousuf Bhat, Chief Executive Officer, Sonamarg Development Authority, Camp Directors and other senior officers of the various Government Departments and functionaries of the Board were prominent among those who participated in the meeting.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 16 Aug 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 16 Aug 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 17 Aug 2011 00:00:00 IST