File Photo
Jammu- Nearly 29 CCTV cameras will be installed in and around the main base camp for Amarnath pilgrims in the winter capital of Jammu and Kashmir, said an official on Monday.
The Yatri Niwas Bhagwati Nagar in Jammu serves as the main base camp for pilgrims from across the country before they leave for Kashmir to pay obeisance at the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine of Amarnath.
The pilgrimage is scheduled to commence from the twin tracks on July 1.
According to officials, the Yatri Niwas will have nearly 29 CCTV cameras installed in and around the area with two big 360-degree cameras.
These cameras will monitor the entire area round the clock through an electronic eye, they said, adding that four body scanners will also be deployed at the site.
The Yatri Niwas based at Jammu’s Bhagwatinagar area will also have close-circuited fire hydrant systems in all the buildings and setups of the basecamp besides an air-conditioned community kitchen halls for the first time.
The repair, renovation, and facelifting work is also going on here at a fast pace to ensure that the basecamp is ready before June 20.
“The work on the repair and renovation of the Yatri Niwas is going on smoothly. The facelifting is going at a fast pace. We expect that Yatri Niwas will be ready by June 20”, an officer told PTI.
He said this time facilities have been further improved with the introduction of close-circuited fire hydrants and air conditions eating halls.
“We have installed six ACs each to make two eating halls fully air-conditioned so that pilgrims get better facilities. We have also installed close circuited fire hydrant systems,” he said.
The first batch of pilgrims is expected to leave the Jammu base camp one day prior to the start of the yatra on July 1.
Preps On For ‘Swachh Amarnath Yatra’: HUA
Meanwhile , the Union Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry said on Monday that the preparations are underway to ensure cleanliness and hygiene during the upcoming yatra to the cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas.
The preparations include acquiring more prefabricated toilets, disinfectants, hiring extra sanitation staff, engaging more “Swachhagrahis”, pre-yatra sanitation of lodging areas and the yatra route and de-sludging septic tanks, forming sanitation teams and appointing nodal officers, among other initiatives, a statement by the ministry said.
It said through the “Swachh Amarnath Yatra” initiative, the Swachh Bharat Mission (Urban) 2.0 has not only improved the overall pilgrimage experience but also reinforced the values of cleanliness and hygiene among the devotees.
The 62-day-long annual pilgrimage to the cave shrine of Amarnath, located at a height of 3,880 metres in south Kashmir Himalayas, will begin on July 1 and continue till August 31.
Under the SBM (U) 2.0, initiatives are taken to ensure a clean and waste-free environment for the yatris, the ministry said, adding robust waste management systems are implemented along with clean sanitation facilities and awareness campaigns promoting cleanliness and responsible waste disposal.
During last year’s yatra, the urban local bodies had installed and maintained a total of 127 toilet seats, 119 urinals and 40 bathing units along the route to improve sanitation, the statement said.
Additionally, the ULBs maintained over 780 toilets installed for the yatra. To achieve 100 per cent waste collection, the ULBs utilised 10 twin compartment vehicles on a daily basis, it added.
They also installed 145 twin bins at all camps to facilitate waste segregation.
To handle the generated waste, the ULBs deployed 14 de-sludging vehicles daily during the yatra with additional vehicles on standby for emergencies, the statement said.
“With an aim to ensure efficient waste processing, nine solid waste management facilities have been inaugurated on May 12, 2023 in 10 ULBs located in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Notably, three of these ULBs, Qazigund, Sumbal, and Ganderbal, fall along the yatra route. These facilities will process 40 tonnes of waste daily,” the HUA ministry said in the statement.
Each centre has a material recovery facility for dry waste which includes segregation, bailing and shredding facilities. Compost pits are also provided for processing of wet waste, it added.
On Friday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the Narendra Modi government’s priority is to ensure that Amarnath pilgrims have a comfortable visit and directed officials to make adequate security arrangements along the entire pilgrimage route in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said this while chairing a high-level meeting where he took stock of the preparations for the annual pilgrimage with top officials of the central government, Army and the Jammu and Kashmir administration.
Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now
Be Part of Quality Journalism |
Quality journalism takes a lot of time, money and hard work to produce and despite all the hardships we still do it. Our reporters and editors are working overtime in Kashmir and beyond to cover what you care about, break big stories, and expose injustices that can change lives. Today more people are reading Kashmir Observer than ever, but only a handful are paying while advertising revenues are falling fast. |
| ACT NOW |
| MONTHLY | Rs 100 |  |
| YEARLY | Rs 1000 | |
| LIFETIME | Rs 10000 | |
Comments are closed.