Tuesday, 02 May 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
The Uttarakhand government has issued SOP on the operation of horses/mules for the char dham yatra. Their maximum number has been fixed and 5000 horses/mules would be operated along 19 km stretch between Gourikund and Kedarnath on the Kedarnath Yatra route. For the Hemkund Sahib, the number of horses/mules fixed for the 15 km route is 1050. One owner of horses/mules will be allowed to operate two of them for the char dham yatra. The State government officials said that the SOP has been issued to stop cruelty to the animals. The number of animals to be operated for one km of the yatra route has been fixed.
Along the yatra route, arrangements for hot water would be made and there would be temporary veterinary hospitals to treat the animals if they fall sick. Horses/mules would be allowed to be operated only after their glander reports are found negative. As per the SOP, one week would be given to the horses/ mules to be acclimatized with the climate. The horses/mules found sick would not be allowed to be operated on the yatra route. The animal owners would be provided with horse sheds near localities. Cases would be lodged against the animal owners who are found to violate the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act.
