Harsh weather conditions fail to dampen spirit of Amarnath Yatris

Kathua (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], July 18 (ANI): Despite challenging weather conditions, pilgrims continue to come to Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua for the Amarnath Yatra.

Devotees have lauded the Jammu and Kashmir's government for making the Yatra hassle-free.

"Administration has given us Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags which will help officials to track the pilgrims and find them, in case, they go missing," said a pilgrim.

Another pilgrim said, "We have been deprived of Amarnath Yatra for two years due to the COVID pandemic, but this year, the Amarnath Yatra is happening. I wish the yatra will be safe for everybody."

Earlier, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), in collaboration with Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) and Jammu and Kashmir's Directorate of Health Services-Kashmir (DHS-K), set up a Telemedicine (TM) Centre connecting the country's top hospitals to provide best possible health care services to the Amarnath pilgrims. The Telemedicine Centre has been set up at Panjtarni Base Camp.

On July 8, the Yatra was suspended after the cloudburst incident. Sixteen people were dead and at least three dozen were missing after a cloudburst triggered flash floods near the cave shrine of Amarnath.

The Indian Army inducted radars to trace survivors under the debris which was laid after a cloudburst struck the area near the holy shrine of Amarnath on Friday.

Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha also visited a base camp in Pahalgam and met pilgrims.

The Yatra began on June 29 from Jammu amid tight security arrangements made by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) along with the army and the local police.

The Amarnath shrine pilgrimage to the 3,880-metre-high cave shrine of Lord Shiva, located in the upper reaches of the Himalayas, is held from the twin routes of Pahalgam and Baltal. (ANI)