Chief Minister Harish Rawat has extended greetings to the pilgrims on successful management of Nanda Raj Jaat Yatra so far. Rawat averred that the State Government was providing all possible help to the committee for the arrangements of Nanda Raj Jat Yatra.
Before the start of the yatra, Rawat had asked the administration and agencies concerned to make all necessary arrangements at the five uninhabited halts in the upper Himalayas for the pilgrims’ convenience from August 30 onwards. The CM reviewed the arrangements for the Yatra here on Tuesday.
He said that it was for the first time that arrangements were being made to meet the essential needs of the pilgrims at the uninhabited halts of the Nada Devi Raj Jat Yatra. He added that if there was any suggestion related to these arrangements, it would certainly be considered. Chamoli district magistrate SA Murugeshan said that due to the religious nature of the yatra, it became difficult to accurately estimate the number of pilgrims expected. Despite this, the administration had pledged to make all necessary arrangements.
The DM has made an appeal to the pilgrims that even if the administration has made all necessary arrangements, they must nevertheless bring warm clothing, sleeping bags, medicines and dry fruits among other essential things. The chief officer in charge of Nanda Devi Raaj Jat Yatra Dr Meherban Singh Bisht said that the Government had made special arrangements at the uninhabited halts in Garoli Paatal Bedini, Patar Nachonya, Shila Samudra and Chandaniya Ghat.
The administration has arranged for 600 tents at these halts. To ensure adequate lighting, emergency lights and light towers have also been arranged for. Water tanks have been set up to provide drinking water at all the uninhabited halts while 130 workers have also been appointed for cleaning temporary bathrooms and toilets at these halts. For medical and health facilities, doctors and paramedical staff has been appointed along with oxygen cylinders, ambulances and first aid boxes.
Food packets will be distributed and community kitchens will be held by NGOs at Bedni, Patar Nachonya and lata Kopdi. ITBP and SSB personnel will be present at Patar Nachonya- Shila Samudra route and Shila Samudra-Chandaniya valley route respectively for any kind of search — relief programme. Along with this, policemen and SDRF personnel will be present all through the yatra route. Keeping any disaster like situation in note, a helipad has been set up at Bedni.
Dr Bisht said that the pilgrims will be allowed to proceed for the yatra only after complete medical checkup at Baan and Bedini. Biometric Registration of pilgrims will also be done at lahganj, Deval, Baan and Bedini keeping their security in mind. To ensure proper arrangement of the yatra, five nodal officers, one super nodal officer, eight sector magistrates along with 500 workers and officers including 75 from forest department have been appointed.