The state administration will deploy 27 teams for carrying out rescue operations along the twin routes to the Amarnath cave in Kashmir Valley, officials said on Tuesday.
“On the directions of Governor Satya Pal Malik, Umang Narula Chief Executive Officer of the Amarnathji Shrine Board, took a meeting on Tuesday to review the arrangements to be made for providing rescue facilities in case of any emergent situation during the forthcoming Amarnathji Yatra 2019,” officials said.
“Narula informed Governor that a total of 27 Rescue Teams will be deployed during the forthcoming Yatra. These teams would be drawn from the personnel of J&K Armed Police, SDRF and the NDRF and equipped with all rescue equipment including Oxygen Cylinders. 11 Mountain Rescue Teams (02 more than last year) from the J&K Armed Police will be deployed to help women and sick Yatris in negotiating difficult stretches on the Yatra routes,” an official spokesperson said.
“It was informed in the meeting that a total of 12 Avalanche Rescue Teams viz 11 teams of the State Disaster Response Force and 01 team of CRPF would be deployed along both the routes,” the spokesperson said in a statement.
“Of these, 07 teams would be deployed along the Pahalgam route at Chandanwari, Pissu Top, Zojibal-Nagakoti; Sheshnag, M.G.Top, Panjtarni, Holy Cave and 05 teams along the Baltal route at Baltal, Domel, Railpatri, Brarimarg and Sangam Top. Besides, 4 Search and Rescue teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are also being deployed at Pahalgam, Chandanwari, Sheshnag, Panjtarni and Baltal. The rescue teams equipped with necessary paraphernalia shall be deployed at critical stretches, particularly between Railpathri and Brarimarg , forewarning Yatris about shooting stones and landslides. It was decided that effective strength of the rescue teams would be increased from 10 to 15 and SSPs of Ganderbal and Anantnag districts shall fix RD wise jurisdiction of rescue teams. It was also decided to introduce Common Access Protocol (CAP) in the Yatra area, linked with Emergency Operation Centres (EOCs) at Sonamarg and Chandanwari to enable all Yatris and others present in that grid to receive SMSs in case of emergent situations on any network. This would be in addition to Priority Call Routing (PCR) portal which will help to prioritize the calls of officers associated with Disaster Management, even if there is congestion in the communication network,” the statement said.
“Narula expressed on behalf of Governor and Chairman of the SASB high appreciation of the valuable contribution made by the Rescue Teams in saving many precious lives during the previous Yatras by providing timely assistance and effecting quick evacuation of pilgrims in distress,” the statement added.
The meeting was attended by V.K.Birdi, Deputy Inspector General of Police, CKR; Shailendra P. Singh, Deputy Inspector General, CRPF; B.K.Jha, Deputy Inspector General, BSF; Anup Kumar Soni, Additional Chief Execuive Officer, SASB; Aamir Ali, Director, Disaster Management, J&K; Col Kulbir Singh, Deputy CDR, HQ, 3SECT RR; Col R R Laddha, CO 8 Kumaon; Col Sanjiv, Deputy CDR, HQ 1 Sector RR.. Khalid Jehangir, Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag; Altaf Ahmed Khan, SSP Anantnag; Hashmat Ali, Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal and Khalil Ahmed Paswal, SSP Ganderbal attended the meeting through video conferencing,” it added.