L-G Sinha visits Baltal base camp, reviews arrangements
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday visited the Baltal Base Camp and reviewed the preparedness ahead of Amarnath Yatra, scheduled to commence on July 3.
At Baltal, the Lieutenant Governor interacted with the camp officials and reviewed the arrangements for healthcare, power, communication, water supply, sanitation, food, lodging, weather forecasting, traffic management, surveillance and maintenance of track, security grid and emergency services.
Sinha directed the officials to ensure round-the-clock availability of all basic amenities with adequate manpower for the convenience of the pilgrims. During the visit, he conducted on-site inspection and ascertained the progress of the Disaster Management and Yatri Niwas Complex of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board.
He also made a visit to the hospital at Baltal Base Camp, and inspected the healthcare facilities for the pilgrims and inaugurated a training ward for medical staff.
“Significant upgradation done to the overall yatra arrangements. Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, administration, J&K Police, security forces, service providers, all line departments and stakeholders have diligently implemented pilgrim-centric measures to ensure the pilgrimage is peaceful, safe and hassle-free for devotees,” Sinha said.
During his visit, the L-G launched a comprehensive IEC (Information, Education & Communication) campaign and various innovative initiatives of Directorate of Rural Sanitation, Department of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, for a sustainable and zero-waste pilgrimage.
The initiatives include yatra logo, yatra anthem, campaign website and MIS portal, Trinetra App, pamphlet & yatra guidelines, yatra mascots and IEC toolkit “aimed to promote sustainable practices, address sanitation issues, share verified information and engage yatris through feedback along the Baltal and Pahalgam axis, with the goal of achieving a zero landfill yatra.”
A spokesperson said the campaign website www.shriamarnathjiyatra.com and an MIS portal will serve as the central hub for all information, updates, and resources, while the browser-based mobile application www.zerowasteyatra.app will provide real-time information and support to the pilgrims.
Anoo Malhotra, Director General, Rural Sanitation, briefed the Lieutenant Governor on dedicated measures taken by the department to make the yatra more sustainable.
It was informed that the department has installed a total of 5,613 toilets / bathing units, on both the axis, of which 2,920 are on the Pahalgam axis and 2,693 are on the Baltal axis.
Further, 7,361 sanitation workers are deployed to ensure cleanliness of these sanitation units. The department has also established 15 processing facilities for solid waste management on both the axis, the spokesperson said.
J & K