Chief Secretary reviews arrangements

SRINAGAR, MAY 20: Mr. B.B. Vyas, Chief Secretary, J&K today chaired a meeting to review the arrangements being made for forthcoming Yatra which is scheduled to commence on 29^th June 2017 simultaneously from both Baltal and Chandanwari route.  

The meeting was attended by Dr. S.P Vaid, Director General of Police, J&K; Shri Umang Narula, Chief Executive Officer, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board; Dr. A.K Singh, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest; Mr. Dheeraj Gupta, Commissioner/ Secretary, Power Development Department, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, Commissioner/ Secretary, Health and Medical Education Department; Dr. Mandeep Bhandari, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu; Shri Baseer Ahmed Khan, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir; Mr. Saurabh Bhagat, Secretary, PHE, Irrigation and flood Control; Mr. Farooq Ahmad Shah, Secretary Tourism; Mr. Jitendra Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Executive Officer, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board; Mr. Khalid Jahangir, Additional Secretary Home; Hamid Sheikh, Chief Engineer, PWD (R&B) Kashmir; Mr. GM Bhat, Chief Engineer PHE Kashmir; Mohammad Hanif Lone, Chief  Engineer, I& FC, Srinagar and Mr. Majid Imran consultant NHIDCL.             

Mr. M.K Bhandari, Divisional Commissioner, Jammu attended the meeting through video conferencing.  

Chief Secretary reviewed the to-date position and the preparedness by the  various line departments for Yatra including the restoration and up-gradation of the Yatra tracks; snow clearance on both the Yatra route;  provision of power; water supply;  deployment of MRTs; sanitation arrangements and creation of landfill sites at Pahalgam and Sonamarg; establishment of transit camps along the National Highway from Lakhanpur  to Sonamarg/ Pahalgam; Access Control and Security; and  medical care facilities.

Chief Secretary asked DGP and Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to strengthen the regulation at the Access Control Gates of Domel and Chandanwari and strictly enforce the prescribed regulatory mechanisms to ensure that only registered pilgrims possessing valid Yatra Permits and the registered Service Providers enter the Yatra area. Chief Secretary directed Divisional Commissioner Kashmir to ensure that better facilities are provided to various Service Providers, particularly ponywallas, labourers, palkiwallas, tent and shop owners etc.  who play a vital  role in the smooth conduct of Shri Amarnathji Yatra.

Secretary Tourism Department informed about the steps being taken by the Pahalgam and Sonamarg Development Authorities for the proper collection and disposal of Solid Wastes which would be generated in the Yatra area. Commissioner/Secretary, PDD, Commissioner/Secretary, PWD & Secretary, PHE  apprised about the measures being taken by their respective departments for the Yatra-2017.

Commissioner/ Secretary Health and Medical Department apprised the Chief Secretary about the medical facilities to be made available in the Base Hospitals, Medical Aid Centre and Emergency Aid Centre enroute the Yatra area.  Chief Secretary stressed upon equipping every medical camp with adequate medical and paramedical man power, medicines, equipments and other requirements and replenish them well in time.

Chief Secretary asked the Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir to sensitize the Disaster Management agencies /units and ensure that all disaster Management related arrangements for the Yatra are subsumed within the overall Disaster Management frame work of the State. Chief Secretary also asked Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir to ensure that  adequate arrangements are made for stocking of ration, fire wood  and fodder in the Yatra area.