Amid the rising fear of coronavirus outbreak across the nation, the Jammu and Kashmir adminstarion on Tuesday announced that the Amarnath Yatra has been cancelled for this year. This decision was taken during the 39th meeting of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board, owing to the safety concerns of the pilgrims.
Earlier, the board had mentioned that the Yatra will begin frim July 21 and will continue till August 3. In a virtual meeting, the board discueed the Supreme Court’s order wherein the court had dismissed the plea demandin ban on the Yatra and had left it to the Untion Territory administration to decide on the matter.
The board then assesed the situaion on the basis of ground relaities in the UT and has come to a decision that it would not be advisable to conduct the Amarnath Yatra this year in larger public interest.
“The Board is aware of and respects the sentiments of millions of devotees. To keep the religious sentiments alive, the Board shall continue live telecast/virtual darshan of the morning and evening aarti. Further, the traditional rituals shall be carried out as per past practice. Also, the Chhadi Mubarak shall be facilitated by the government,” the statement read.
“The health concerns are so serious that the strain on the health system, along with the diversion in resources to the Amarnath Yatra, will be immense. This would also unnecessarily put the Yatris at risk of catching the Covid-19,” the Board further said in the statement.
The coronavirus pandemic has put J & K’s health system at backfooot with a major surge in the coronavirus cases in July. The Amarnath Yatra will divert the much needed attention of entire medical, civil and police administaruion amid the crisis.
“The Board further deliberated the considered views of the government. The government made reasoned observations supported by facts which suggested that it would not be advisable to conduct the Amarnath Yatra this year and it would be advisable to cancel it in larger public interest.
This would enable the health, civil and police administrations to focus on the immediate challenges facing them, rather than diverting resources, manpower and attention to the conduct of the Yatra,” the board added.
