30 bedded makeshift hospitals to be setup at Baltal, Chandanwari

With more than 5 lakh devotees expected to pay a visit to Shri Amarnath Yatra this year, the authorities are gearing up to set up 30 bedded makeshift hospitals at Batltal and Chandanwari.

Sources said that the Home Minister Amit Shah had passed the directions during the review meeting of the Amarnath Yatra earlier this month, which was attended by Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha and other senior officials from Union Territory.

A senior government official said, “With pilgrims coming in huge numbers for Amarnath Yatra, several steps are being taken by the Jammu and Kashmir government to ensure things go smoothly.”

Adding that, he said that the directions had been passed by the administration in Kashmir to the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir to establish 30 bedded makeshift hospital at Baltal and Chandanwari, where 4 ICU beds along with additional staff will be deployed.

“This will help the authorities to tackle any emergency during the Amarnath Yatra”, he added.

He added, “The government is also keen to take care of animals for which the Directorate of Animal Husbandry has been asked to that the animals affected with Glinder disease are quarantined and separated”.

Further, the department has been told that the awareness camps and registration of service providers shall also be conducted in other districts of Jammu and Kashmir so that shortfall of 50 percent is fulfilled, he added.

The official said, “Last year, the directions were passed to establish 200-300 permanent sanitation units along with the Yatra routes. This year, the government has directed that status of these sanitation units along with additional 50% toilets to be submitted in the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir’s office by the DIR Rural sanitation, the process of which is on”.

He added that the direction has also been issued to Deputy Commissioner Bandipora over the Shadipora Transit Camp. “The Deputy Commissioner Bandipora has been asked to put in place all the facilities of bedding, flooring, water, electricity, heating, etc., for night halt for the Yatris at Shadipora transit Camp so that in case of any eventuality, the Yatris can be accommodated”, he added.

It is pertinent to mention that Amarnath Yatra will commence on June 30. At the same time, the authorities are making sure that everything is in place.