JOIN USCovid-19 crisis: Get vaccinated, officials urge Amarnath Yatra service providers
Even as online registration for the upcoming Amarnath yatra continues to remain suspended due to the second wave of Covid-19 pandemic, authorities in Kashmir have asked pilgrimage service providers to get vaccinated at the earliest.
Officials said district administration Ganderbal has asked health officials to ensure that all service providers, including tent-owners, shopkeepers, pony operators, labourers and drivers are vaccinated immediately.
Besides Anantnag district, Ganderbal district is one of the two routes for the annual pilgrimage to the 3,888-metre-high Amarnathji cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas.
Sub Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Kangan, Hakim Tanveer Ahmed, said although there is no official announcement about its commencement so far, vaccination is a preparatory exercise for the annual yatra.
The decision regarding the conduct of the pilgrimage is to be taken by the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board. "But, vaccination of the service providers, whether associated with travel trade or pilgrimage tourism, is a routine exercise,” he added.
Due to a huge surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths across the country, including Jammu and Kashmir, the SASB, which manages the affairs of the pilgrimage, suspended the registration of pilgrims on April 22, which had started on April 1.
The 56-day-long annual pilgrimage, which was cancelled last year due to the pandemic, is scheduled from June 28 to August 22. This year, the SASB was expecting six lakh yatris to pay obeisance at the holy cave shrine, which would have been the largest number since the governing body took over affairs of the pilgrimage in 2000.
However, sources said, keeping in view the prevailing Covid crisis, it is unlikely that such a huge number of pilgrims would be allowed to participate in the yatra this year. “If Covid situation improves, a limited number of pilgrims will be allowed mid-July onwards,” they added.