Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Thursday said the rescue operations launched following a flashflood near the Amarnath cave shrine — that left 15 people dead — has been called off and there was no report of any person missing.
Referring to reports about several persons missing in the aftermath of the flashflood on July 8, Sinha said the helpline of the shrine board had received about 200 calls and it took some time to track the yatris as their mobile phones were switched off.
“Fifteen pilgrims have lost their lives and all have been identified. Fifty-five persons were injured and all, except two, have been discharged and have gone home,” Sinha told reporters at the Raj Bhavan here.
The Lt Governor said the two injured were undergoing treatment at SKIMS Soura here and their condition is stated to be stable.
“I hope they will also be discharged in a few days,” he said, adding that 14 bodies were sent to their families in different states while the cremation of one was done here by the family.
He said the administration was in touch with all the state governments and as of now no person was missing.
On the allegations that the administration did not take adequate measures in the wake of a flashflood last year, Sinha said the flow pattern of both the flashfloods — last year as well as the one in 2015 — was kept in mind and the irrigation and flood control department erected a wall there.
“I have spoken to many experts, had that bund not been there, the disaster could have been worse,” he added.
Referring to PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s remarks that the government had allowed more yatris than recommended, Sinha said the Supreme Court had formed a committee of experts and on the basis of the discussions by the committee, the decision on the number of pilgrims was taken.
“Two years before, 7,500 people were permitted through both sides. Last year, the shrine board improved the facilities and with the result, it was decided to allow 10,000 yatris from both the axis and this decision is being fully implemented.
Sinha said with the support of the locals, the yatra is going on in a right manner and so far, about 1.5 lakh pilgrims have had ‘darshan’ at the cave shrine.
The LG said all the yatris have a ₹5 lakh insurance cover.
“Apart from that, the next of kin of those who died will be provided another ₹5 lakh by the shrine board,” he said.
Sinha said the administration has requested the surveyor general of India to work on the digital contour mapping around the cave.
13 pilgrims injured in twin bus accidents
Thirteen Amarnath yatris were injured on Thursday in separate accidents in Kulgam and Ganderbal districts, officials said on Thursday.
Eight pilgrims were injured in south Kashmir’s Kulgam and five more in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal, they said.
In Kulgam, the officials said, a bus enroute to the Baltal base camp with around 40 pilgrims lost control and hit a tipper dumper moving in the same direction.
The second accident involving a vehicle ferrying Amarnath Yatra pilgrims took place at Satrina in the Kangan area of Ganderbal, they said.