SRINAGAR: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) is scheduled to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the arrangements for the Amarnath yatra this week. The review will involve high-ranking officials from the police and civil administration, focusing particularly on the additional deployment of paramilitary forces to ensure the smooth running of the pilgrimage. It is noteworthy that a significant number of troops are currently involved in operations in Manipur.
According to officials who spoke to the Excelsior, the Jammu and Kashmir Police is preparing to request an additional 300 paramilitary companies for the annual pilgrimage of Shri Amarnath Ji. The pilgrimage is scheduled to commence on July 1 and will span a period of 62 days, concluding on August 31 this year. Additionally, 200 companies will be mobilised internally for this purpose.
“Last year, the maximum number of 300 paramilitary companies were given to Jammu and Kashmir for the annual pilgrimage as the yatra was taking place for first time following abrogation of special status of erstwhile State and its bifurcation into two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh. However, this time, a large number of paramilitary companies have been deployed in violence-hit Manipur and there seems no possibility that they will be withdrawn within next 15-20 days,” the officials said.
This year, the pilgrimage is expected to extend for a duration slightly exceeding two months. According to officials, Jammu and Kashmir may need to manage with an additional 250 paramilitary companies, although a final decision will be made after discussions between the Home Ministry, Jammu and Kashmir Police, and the civil administration this week.
In the forthcoming preliminary meeting, senior police and civil officials from the Union Territory will be in attendance at the behest of Union Home Ministry officials, which is scheduled to take place by this weekend. Union Home Minister Amit Shah will review the arrangements for the yatra after the middle of this month, and there is a possibility of his visit to Jammu and Kashmir later in the month.
While the officials affirm that the security situation is comparatively better this year than last year, they emphasize that the arrangements will remain almost identical to the previous year to ensure the utmost security for the yatra. They further note that the Army will play a critical role in the yatra arrangements, particularly at the cave shrine in the South Kashmir Himalayas and the twin tracks, in addition to securing the Jammu-Srinagar and Jammu-Pathankot National Highways.
The majority of the additional paramilitary companies consist of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), with others belonging to the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), deployed along the tracks, and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). Approximately 200 companies of paramilitary forces will be deployed by the Jammu and Kashmir administration from their internal deployment, which has been assigned for law and order and anti-militancy operations. Furthermore, the Jammu and Kashmir Police (JKP) and JKAP will also be deployed for yatra duties.
In the previous year, the pilgrimage lasted for 44 days, during which 3.65 lakh yatris from all over the country performed darshan of the holy Ice Lingam of Lord Shiva at the cave shrine. It is expected that the number of pilgrims will increase this year.
In 2022, the pilgrimage took place after a two-year hiatus. It was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and only the ‘Chhari Mubarak’ (the holy mace of Lord Shiva) was taken for darshan while all other rituals were performed. In 2019, the yatra was curtailed by approximately two weeks due to decisions made by the Central Government on August 5.
from Kashmir Life https://ift.tt/uXmZPcK
via IFTTThttps://kashmirlife.net
No comments:
Post a Comment