JOIN USIn the backdrop of rising number of deaths, mostly due to cardiac arrests, during ongoing annual Amarnathji yatra, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) Wednesday urged intending pilgrims that they must follow Health Advisory strictly before proceeding for the yatra.
Jammu and Kashmir governor N N Vohra, who is also the chairman of SASB, during a meeting expressed serious concern over the unfortunate deaths of 22 pilgrims during the first nine days of the pilgrimage.
“It was reiterated that all intending pilgrims who wish to undertake the yatra must follow and fully adhere to the Do’s and Don’ts and the Health Advisory,” he said.
The intending pilgrims were once again urged to take required precautions “and no person who has any medical or orthopaedic ailment, or any breathing, chest or heart problem should even think of undertaking the arduous yatra, which involves climbing upto nearly 14,000 feet”.
Trekking in the high altitude route to the Holy Cave is difficult and, besides, inclement weather also poses challenges for the pilgrims.
Of the total of 22 yatris who lost their lives so far, 15 were males and seven females.
Official data reveals that five were from Punjab, three each from Haryana and Gujarat, two each from Rajasthan and Karnataka and one each from West Bengal, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Uttarakhand.