Jammu, Feb 25: Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) on Saturday decided to hold annual Amarnath Yatra for 37 days beginning June 25, 2012.
A spokesman of the SASB said the dates of the yatra have been recommended by a sub-committee of the Board headed by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
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.
"Consequent to detailed deliberations, the Board accepted the recommendations of the Sri Sri Ravi Shankar sub-committee and directed the CEO of the Board to timely commence the registration of pilgrims and ensure the effective management of the yatra which would commence on June 25 and conclude on Raksha Bandhan on August 2," the spokesperson said.
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 yatras.
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, the spokesman said.
He said Governor N N Vohra, who is also the chairman of the SASB, chaired a high level meeting this morning and discussed various issues pertaining to annual pilgrimage. “With many Amarnath-bound pilgrims losing their lives due to health problems, the Board decided that devotees will now onwards produce a medical certificate at the time of registration,” he said.
During the meeting, loss of life of pilgrims due to cardiac arrest was discussed. "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 lost their lives in 2009, 2010 and 2011 yatras, respectively,” he said.
"In this context, the Board observed that time had come to consider a more effective approach and decide that every person seeking registration to undertake the yatra must furnish a health certificate issued by a Registered Medical Practitioner (RMP). The Board noted that the enforcement of such a pre-condition had also been advised by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA)," the spokesperson said.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 25 Feb 2012 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 25 Feb 2012 18:30:00 GMT
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