SRINAGAR, July 13: Expressing concern about the rising number of deaths of Amarnath Pilgrims in Kashmir, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has advised Hindu devotees to get “genuine health certificates” so that decisions could be made about their pilgrimage to the cave shrine, 3880-metres up in the Himalayas.
Authorities in the valley are worried as at least 72 pilgrims have died since the pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave shrine started officially on June 25.
The Chief Minister, who has been facing sharp criticism by right-wing Hindu groups complaining lack of infrastructure and facilities, was quick to blame the yatris or pilgrims for producing “wrong” medical certificates about their health conditions.
“On our side, we are trying to put in place a mechanism of health screening but unfortunately it seems that the health certificates that are being produced are not genuine representations of the condition of the pilgrim,” Omar told reporters in New Delhi.
The Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) – who manage the shrine affairs – have made it compulsory for pilgrims to show a medical certificate deeming them fit for the pilgrimage, after 107 deaths took place during last year’s yatra.
The chief minister said the age profile of the pilgrims who were dead either during this pilgrimage or immediately after it was something to “be looked at”.
“Please understand that these pilgrims have to climb enormous heights in very difficult circumstances, enormous strains on their bodies and particularly on their hearts.
Now, with the best will in the world we cannot guarantee everybody’s health particularly if you are going to come with a health certificate that is not a genuine assessment of what your health is,” he said.
The Chief Minister advised that the pilgrims should give a right assessment of their health so that it could be decided if they should undertake the pilgrimage or not. “Please cooperate with us…,” he said.
More than three lakh pilgrims have so far paid obeisance at the cave shrine. Authorities expect more than half a million Hindu devotees to visit Kashmir for the pilgrimage this year.
