Jammu: Over 350 sanitation workers will be deployed during the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) said on Monday, as it unveiled various initiatives to make the annual pilgrimage memorable for the intending devotees.
The 43-day-long Yatra to the 3,880-metre-high holy cave shrine of Amarnath is scheduled to start on June 30 from the twin routes – traditional 48-km Nunwan in south Kashmir’s Pahalgam and 14-km shorter Baltal in central Kashmir’s Ganderbal.
“The Yatra is taking place after a gap of two years due to the coronavirus pandemic and a large number of devotees are expected to take part in the Yatra which is also the first post abrogation of Article 370 (in August 2019). The focus of the government for the Yatra is safety, security, sanitation and inclusiveness,” JMC Mayor Chander Mohan Gupta told reporters here.
Flanked by deputy mayor Purnima Sharma and senior officers, including JMC commissioner Rahul Yadav, Gupta said as the civic body was assigned the task to supervise sanitation work across Jammu region – from Lakhanpur to Banihal and also Mughal road, various initiatives were chalked out to achieve the target of ‘Swachh Amarnath Yatra’ this year.
“We welcome the pilgrims and request the cooperation of the people of Jammu, especially the NGOs to come forward like yesteryears to ensure nobody faces any difficulty and the pilgrims return with a good impression,” he said.
Spelling out various initiatives planned by the JMC, the deputy mayor said a total of 369 sanitation workers will be deployed for waste collection and sweeping, cleaning of toilets, urinal and bathrooms, secondary transportation and wastewater management.
“A detailed sanitation plan has been prepared by health wing of JMC, including requirement of disinfectants, tools and tackles, during the Yatra,” she said, adding waste collection and sanitation activities will be taken care of at all the 27 locations (camps) and 18 langar (community kitchens) halls by the health and transport section of JMC.
Sharma said all safety gears will be provided to the sanitation workers.
The JMC will ensure installation of bins for dry and wet waste segregation at camps and langar halls, she said.
The deputy mayor said a detailed desludging plan has also been prepared by JMC for smooth conduction of the Yatra focusing on all 27 lodgments.
