Srinagar: Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta today held a high level meeting of civil and police administration to take stock of arrangements made for the upcoming Shri AmarnathJi Yatra, 2022.
Dr Mehta enjoined upon the officers that the experience of yatris on pilgrimage to holy cave should be a pleasant one and all of them should turn as the ambassadors for promoting J&K as a better tourism destination. He stressed on them to ensure that all pilgrims have a swift passage at the checkpoints and no yatri should have to wait for more than 30 minutes while going into the base camps.
The meeting was attended by the Administrative Secretaries of Home, Finance, PWD, RDD, Health, Forest, Culture, Tourism, Divisional Commissioners, ADGPs, Municipal Commissioners, CEO Shri AmarnathJi Shrine Board besides the concerned Deputy Commissioners from both the divisions.
Jammu based officers participated in the meeting through video conferencing.
Dr Mehta stressed on the officers to speed up the process of starting online registration for helicopter services. He directed the Shrine Board to work for offering this facility to prospective yatris from 1st of June itself. He also asked them to notify the rates of this service provided to yatris soon.
The Chief Secretary took first hand appraisal from all the Deputy Commissioners of the civil works related to the smooth conduct of the yatra. He enquired from them the kind of arrangements and back up plans for providing reliable accommodation, water, electricity facilities made by each of them in their districts.
He directed them to ensure that appropriate number of washrooms, dustbins, sanitation workers are in place at each designated location. He also advised them to look into the provision for availability of a mobile STP to be used for better upkeep of the yatra holding areas. He stressed on making all the base camps and other sites comfortable, clean and hygienic using modern techniques and technology.
Dr Mehta asked the Deputy Commissioners of Anantnag and Ganderbal to examine both the routes up to holy cave themselves and see that all critical, protective works have been carried out satisfactorily. He said that in coming days he would himself travel on Jammu-Srinagar highway to take stock of arrangements himself.
The Chief Secretary impressed upon the Culture Department, Deputy Commissioners and Municipal Commissioners to brace up their areas for the delightful welcome of the pilgrims by conducting the cultural programmes etc. He asked them to ensure proper cleanliness and illumination of all the routes and areas so that the aura looks festive and felicitous.
Heasked them to rope in SHGs for this purpose so that they also had an opportunity to showcase their products. He took note of all the preparations made till date by departments like Health, Jal Shakti, PDD, PWD, RDD, H&UDD, BRO, Shrine Board, and the divisional and district administration. He directed them that there should be high end arrangements from each quarter without any scope of lacuna or laxity.
The Chief Secretary asked them to have close liaison with each other so that the yatra is conducted in an amicable atmosphere as the same is carried out after two years break of covid pandemic. (GNS)
