Directs that the health screening of horses and mules should be done
Sunday, 05 June 2022 | PNS | Dehradun
The tourism and culture minister of Uttarakhand Satpal Maharaj has appealed the pilgrims arriving in the state for Char Dham Yatra to keep a special care of sanitation. He said that the pilgrims should maintain cleanliness in the shrines they have arrived for offering prayers, the way they keep their homes clean.
The minister took a meeting of the officers of tourism and other departments at the auditorium of Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board (UTDB) on Saturday. Maharaj told the officers that they should give a new dimension to faith by keeping the shrines neat and clean. He said that large numbers of tourists are arriving daily for the Char Dham and Hem Kund Sahib Yatra and maintaining cleanliness and sanitation is a major challenge. He said that the Kedarnath shrine has been divided in seven sectors and one supervisor and one nodal officer have been deployed in each sector. He said that in the bridle path and the temple premises 323 toilets have been constructed. He directed that segregation of dry and wet garbage should be done at the Dham and then it should be taken to the dumping zone. He informed that penalties have been imposed on 1100 shopkeepers for throwing garbage on the path. Expressing concern on the deaths of the mules in the Yatra, the Minister directed the district magistrates (DM) of Uttarkashi and Rudraprayag to conduct health screening of the mules and horses. He said that the mules should be allowed to move on the Yatra only after the screening. On a stern note the minister directed the action should be taken against those who are duping pilgrims in the name of Heli services. Maharaj said that strict action should be taken against the black marketing and bulk purchase of tickets.
The meeting was attended by additional secretary tourism C Ravishankar, officers of UTDB and tourism. The DMs of Chamoli, Uttarkashi, Rudrapryag and SDM Badkot attended the meeting virtually.
