Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who is also the Chairman of the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), on Friday said inclement weather during the Amarnath yatra could have been the main factor that number of expected pilgrims could not make it to this year’s Yatra.
Addressing a press conference at Raj Bhawan here LG Sinha said during the 43-day-long Amarnath Yatra the weather remained inclement for 20 days and July 8 cloudburst incident during which a number of pilgrims died could have been the main cause of decline in the number of arrivals of pilgrims.
Amarnath Yatra commenced on June 30 and more than 3 lakh yatris paid obeisance at the holy cave shrine of Amarnath this year concluded today.
“We have achieved almost everything which we had made our target during the yatra period”, lieutenant Governor said and added “the Yatra was held after two years of Covid restrictions successfully was the happiest moment for the administration”.
He said that “the administration had not fixed the target but had felt that Large number of pilgrims would visit the cave shrine to pay obeisance during this year’s Amarnath Yatra”.
Lieutenant Governor hailed the security agencies for providing fool-proof security arrangements during the entire Yatra period. He also showered all praise to the security agencies and other concerned agencies that played a vital role during the rescue and rehabilitation operation following the July 8 cloudburst during which 15 pilgrims died and 55 others were injured near the cave shrine.
On a question that pilgrims during their visit to Pahalgam were not allowed to mingle with the local people, the Lieutenant Governor said that” security of the pilgrims remains the prime concern during the yatra…and it was not fear to indulge in the matter of security”.
He said this year the yatris were 92-93 percent satisfied with the arrangements made by the authorities for the pilgrims at Baltal and Pahalgam routes.
The Lieutenant Governor also praised the local people who provided every help to the yatris during the pilgrimage everywhere they needed.