Articles by "Pithoragarh"
Pithoragarh, June 20 : The first batch of 58 Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrims Thursday reached the Tibet Autonomous Region of China through the Lipulekh pass.
The pilgrims crossed over into the Chinese territory through the Lipulekh pass located at 17,500 feet on way to Kailash-Mansarovar at 8.15 am, said Ashok Joshi, General Manager of Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN), the nodal agency for the yatra.
"All the members of the batch are safe. They were found medically fit by ITBP doctors during a check-up at Gunji. The batch will return to the pass after spending seven days inside Tibet where the pilgrims will have a view (darshan) of the holy Kailash believed to be the abode of Hindu deity Shiva and bathe in the sacred Mansarovar lake," Joshi said.
Besides the first batch, two other batches of pilgrims have also reached close to the Lipulekh pass, he said. [Agencies]
Nainital, Oct 12 (PTI) The Uttarakhand High Court has asked the state government to ensure supply of essential commodities to remote villages in Pithoragarh district using choppers within 24 hours and maintain this throughout the winter season.
The order came Thursday on a PIL filed by the residents of around a dozen villages of the district complaining of shortage of essential food items and other necessities due to their location in inhospitable terrain and poor road connectivity.A bench of Acting Chief Justice Rajiv Sharma and Justice Manoj Tiwari directed as an interim measure the Uttarakhand government is to provide necessary rations, including flour, ghee, rice, cereals and pulses including fresh vegetables, spices, kerosene oil, matchboxes, condensed milk, tea, toiletries, blankets and other items of daily need within 24 hours by helicopter.The court also asked the state government to maintain regular supply of these items to the villages concerned till the winter season is over. "It shall be open to the state administration to liaison with the Indo Tibetan Border Police Force to punctually implement this order. We also permit the chief secretary of Uttarakhand, to take the assistance of the Indian Air Force towards the implementation of this order," the court said. The PIL was filed by the residents Lamari, Bundi, Chaiya Lekh, Garbiyang, Napalchu, Gunji, Nabi, Rongkong, Kuti, Kalapani, Nabhi Dhang of Pithoragarh district.Together they have a population of about 9,000 but there are no roads connecting these villages. The only approach to these villages is by bridle paths and trails, the PIL said.The terrain of these areas is inhospitable. In 1999-2000, the Centre decided to construct the Ghatiyabagarh-Lipulekh Motor Road, but till date, the road has not been completed. Therefore, compounding the difficulties faced by the residents, it said.The PIL said due to lack of communication and suspension of helicopter service after the Kailash-Mansarovar Yatra, they do not have necessary and essential food items and other necessities. There were media reports recently that inadequate supply of essential food items to villagers in parts of Pithoragarh had made them turn to Chinese items available in the markets of Nepal.
Pithoragarh, Jul 13: A spell of bad weather accompanied by rains and poor visibility has kept the seventh batch of 57 Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrims waiting here for the last six days to be airlifted to the Gunji basecamp.
The situation arose due to dense fog in Chiyalekh valley on way to Gunji.
The pilgrims were supposed to cross over to Tibet through the Lipulekh Pass tomorrow but are still waiting to be airlifted to Gunji, where they would need at least four days for acclimatisation and medical check-up before being cleared for their onward journey, a top official in the Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN) Ltd, the nodal agency for the Yatra in Pithoragarh, said today.
The agency will now have to seek a new date for the batch to crossover to China as the original schedule of July 14 is bound to be missed, he said.
"The Ministry of External Affairs has informed us that the new date of crossing over to Tibet from Lipulekh Pass for the 7th batch will be sought from the Chinese authorities once the batch gets airlifted to Gunji.
"We have to keep at least four days in hand for each batch after it reaches Gunji and before it crosses over to China, as we have to acclimatise the pilgrims to the high altitude weather before allowing them to go ahead," KMVN General Manager (Tourism) TS Martolia said.
The wait was on for the weather to clear so that IAF helicopters could undertake sorties from Pithoragarh to Gunji, he added.
The third and fourth batches have returned to Gunji after completion of the pilgrimage but are waiting to be airlifted to Pithoragarh, Martolia said.
"We have the eighth batch waiting at the Almora rest house of the Nigam," he said.
According to a weather office release, rainfall is likely to continue in Dharchula sub-division and the weather beyond Chiyalekh valley towards Gunji air base is still cloudy. (PTI)
Pithoragarh (Uttarakhand), Jul 7: Famous Kumaoni folk singer Kabutari Devi today passed away at a hospital here following a cardiac arrest.
She was 70, the members of her family said.
The eminent musician had been living with her daughters after the death of her husband Diwani Ram.
Devi, whose songs depicted the struggles in the life of Pahari women, shot to fame after her maiden performance at All India Radio, Lucknow in the 1980s.
"Though my mother had received her education in music from her father, it was my father who recognised her talent and took her to the radio stations to perform," said the veteran's daughter, Hemanti Devi, who was with the singer at the time of her death.
The folk singer has received several honours, which includes the Ministry of Culture, Government of Uttarakhand for her outstanding contribution which echoed the sound of Kumaon hills.
Devi is remembered by folk historians as an original voice that represented the culture of the hills.
"Her songs were original not only in words but also in terms of the musical instruments used and the nature of depiction.
"In her death, we have lost a representative voice of the hill culture especially of societies established in the eastern part of Kumaon," folk historian PD Pant said.PTI
Pithoragarh, June 20 : The first batch of Kailash-Mansarovar pilgrims crossed over to Tibet through the 17,500 feet high Lipulekh pass this morning, an official said.
The first batch had reached Gunji Base camp by trekking 33 km from Mangti, the last motorable station in two days.
Dharchula SDM RK Pandey said one member of the 58-member batch Ram Dayal Mali from Rajasthan had to return from Gunji after he was found unfit by ITBP doctors at the medical camp there on June 18.
According to ITBP sources, the batch left for Lipulekh pass at 3 am and crossed over at 7.50 am.
The second batch of pilgrims that has reached Gunji by IAF helicopters is on way to Nabhi Dhang, the official said. PTI
