Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB), headed by Lt Governor G C Murmu, on Wednesday said a decision on the annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine of Amarnath would be taken after a fresh review of the coronavirus situation in the coming future. Earlier this evening, the SASB had announced the cancellation of the pilgrimage due to coronavirus pandemic but the official statement was “cancelled and withdrawn” by the Jammu and Kashmir administration minutes later.
The 42-day-long yatra to the 3,880-metre-high holy caveshrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas was scheduled to commence fromthe twin tracks of Pahalgam in Anantnag district and Baltal in Ganderbaldistrict on June 23.
In an official statement titled “Shri Amarnathji Yatra2020 cancelled due to outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic”, a spokesman saidthat the decision was taken at the 38th Board meeting of the SASB which metunder the chairmanship of Murmu at Raj Bhavan here.
He said the board decided that the Pratham Pooja’ and’Sampann Pooja’ would be done with traditional fervour.
Within half an hour, another official statement was issuedwhich read, “The Press Note titled Shri Amarnathji Yatra 2020 cancelleddue to outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic released vide No: PR/DI/19/7062/ maykindly be treated cancelled and withdrawn.”
Later, a fresh official statement by SASB said the boardexpressed its apprehension and held that as of date, it might not be possibleto organize the pilgrimage this year.”Due to the current COVID-19 pandemicsituation being dynamic, an appropriate decision can be taken on organising the(Amarnath) Yatra on reviewing the situation in the coming future,” it said.