Srinagar: The annual Amarnath yatra has been canceled in the wake of the Coronavirus outbreak in the country. In the recent development, the J&K administration announced that the annual pilgrimage will not be held this year.
On Tuesday, Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) has decided to cancel the Amaranth Yatra this year due to increasing cases of covid-19 pandemic.
In the view of large public interest,Lieutenant Governor Girish Chandra Murmu, Chairman of SASB took this decision through a video conference at the 39th meeting of the board.
Earlier, It was decided by the Authorities that the Amaranth Yatra would begin from July 21 and continue till August 3 however, Now the decision has been cancelled.
The board expressed their regret to announce the cancellation of Yatra this year and also said that it is aware of the sentiments of the devotees but it is not advisable to hold the yatra this year. It was further stated that darshan can be viewed online, or on TV. There will be provisions made for live telecast of the morning, and evening aarti.
Earlier, it was reported that all the arrangement for the pilgrimage were on floor since February 2020 Amaranth Yatra but due to world wide pandemic and lockdown in the nation, the State Executive Committee, Jammu & Kashmir ordered to close all the religious places and places to worship for the public and the lockdown will continue till July 31.
Due to increasing cases of covid-19 day by day the Board further discussed that pandemic has put the health administration system to its limit. Conditions are becoming very vast in July. Number of people are also getting infected and the focus of the entire medical police administration at the moment is on containing the local transmission of the covid-19 pandemic.
It is said that the health concerns are so serious about the health system along with that divergence in resources to the Yatra will be huge which would be unnecessarily putting the Yatris at risk.
The government suggested that it would not be advisable to conduct Shri Amaranthji Yatra this year and it would be advisable to cancel it for 2020 in larger public interest. For conducting Amarnath Yatra health Civil and police administration their manpower and attention is needed and while conducting it which can put them into a risk.
The supreme court dismissed a petition seeking cancellation of Amaranth Yatra this year and left it for the administration to decide the fate of the annual pilgrimage in light of the covid-19 outbreak.