Srinagar, June 21 (UNI): The annual 2021-pilgrimage to holy Amarnath cave shrine in south Kashmir Himalayas has been cancelled in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, online darshan for devotees worldwide will be arranged by the Shrine Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB), Lt Governor Manoj Sinha said on Monday evening.
He said it is important to save people’s lives. So, it is not advisable to hold and conduct this year’s pilgrimage in the larger public interest, he said.
An official spokesman said a threadbare discussion was held with the members of SASB including Swami Avdheshanand, DC Raina, Dr Devi Prasad Shetty, Prof Anita Billawariya, Sudarshan Kumar, Prof Vishwamurti Shashtri, Pt Bhajan Sopori, Dr C M Seth and Mrs Tripta Dhawan on the present Covid-19 situation before arriving on the decision.
Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, who is also Chairman of the Board subsequently held detailed deliberations with Chief Secretary Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, Director General of Police Dilbag Singh, Principal Secretary Home Shaleen Kabra, and Principal Secretary to Lt Governor, Nitishwar Kumar, who is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Board, and directed that devotees should be enabled to attend to morning and evening Aarti in online mode. He said it would help them to pay their obeisance while also avoiding travel and exposure.
