Rejecting the demands of Kashmiri separatists to curtail the duration of the Amarnath Yatra, the Centre on Thursday said the annual pilgrimage to the holy cave shrine will go ahead as scheduled and will last almost two months.
As many as 80 companies (8,000 personnel) of the CRPF will be deployed to secure the routes of the shrine. Besides, standard operating procedures (SoPs) will be followed for contingencies to conduct the yatra, officials said.
Medical teams have also been geared up for any emergencies. “The Amarnath Yatra will go on as per schedule. It will commence on July 2 and will continue for 59 days,” confirmed the Home Ministry.
The Ministry’s affirmation came after separatist leaders Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Shabeer Shah and others demanded curtailment of the duration of the Amarnath Yatra citing “fragile environmental conditions” of the mountainous region.
Sources said the Government has taken a series of other steps for trouble-free pilgrimage including augmentation of mobile connectivity and making available satellite phones in designated places.
BSNl is also working on strengthening VSAT capacity and increase in bandwidth. The PSU will also enhance number of base transceiver stations and their configuration to take care of congestion of telecom network especially around places designated for halt or night stay of pilgrims.
In Srinagar, Union Minister Jitendra Singh accused the separatists of politicising the matter, saying there was scientific evidence to show that the pilgrimage can be held throughout the year.
“It (duration of Amarnath Yatra) is a question which has to be addressed scientifically. We have substantial geology survey reports and scientific evidences which show that you can have Amarnath Yatra throughout the year, of course by keeping checks on environment,” he told reporters.
“This two-month period is determined by the auspicious time... The dates have been finalised by them (Yatra Board) and we will not interfere in the religious part. They say this is the most auspicious period, but scientifically nowhere is it written as to when the Yatra should take place,” Singh, Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, said.
“The environmental concerns are genuine but they (separatists) are trying to politicise the matter. Barring weather problems, there are no other issues,” Singh said while recalling that India’s first Prime Minister Jawahar lal Nehru, along with his newly married bride, had undertaken the Yatra in the month of February or March.
Singh, member of lok Sabha from Udhampur constituency in Jammu region, said separatists rake up such issues every year before the commencement of the Yatra.
“This is something which is happening year after year, particularly when Amarnath Yatra period is approaching, they try to rake up an issue and then get trapped into competitive politics,” he said.
Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board has identified camps located at the holy cave, Panjtarni, Sheshnag and Sangam as the camps where satellite phones and VASAT connectivity is crucial for the conduct and regulation of the Yatra.
A pilgrim can secure his or her pilgrimage permit through 87 designated branches of the Jammu and Kashmir Bank, 305 branches of Punjab National Bank and 38 branches of YES Bank located across the country.