JAMMU: Chief Secretary, Atal Dulloo, today held a crucial meeting with the Health Secretaries from 10 States and UTs, asking them to designate adequate number of doctors for issuance of ‘Compulsory Health Certificates’ (CHCs) in favour of pilgrims embarking on the sacred journey to Shri Amarnathji Shrine in J&K.
The meeting, besides the Principal Secretary to the Lieutenant Governor and the CEO, Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB), was attended by the Secretary, H&ME; the Additional CEO, SASB; the Director, SKIMS; the Director, Health, Jammu/Kashmir; representative fromthe Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, GoI.
The Chief Secretary directed the Health Department to conduct the sensitization sessions with the doctors designated by the respective states for issuance of these CHCs in favour of the pilgrims intending to take on this holy journey. He said that such an exercise would help them in better understanding the requirements to be met by a person for a safe pilgrimage.
He also asked the participating Health Secretaries to further ensure rationalization of doctors across the health facilities commensurate with the number of pilgrims from that area. He declared that this would reciprocate into the thorough clinical assessment of the applicants on the part of the medics, thereby ensuring the safety of lives.
He emphasized that individuals with underlying comorbid conditions or physical weaknesses that render them unfit for high-altitude travel must be thoroughly screened. Those deemed unfit should not be issued health certificates, as this would pose a significant risk to their lives during the pilgrimage. He maintained that the UT government is committed to providing the best facilities to these pilgrims and wants the yatra to be fully safe, secure and enthralling for each of the devotees.
While pointing out some of the critical issues that have undermined the CHC process in previous years, Principal Secretary to Lieutenant Governor, Dr. Mandeep Kumar Bhandari, who is also CEO of the Shri Amarnath Ji Shrine Board (SASB), said in past doctors had issued CHCs to unfit pilgrims, including those with co-morbidities, to participate in the Yatra, resulting in tragic consequences.
He cited the 2012 Amarnath Yatra as a stark example, where over 100 pilgrims lost their lives due to health complications that were severely exacerbated by the extreme conditions of the pilgrimage, like high altitude above 12,800 feet, low oxygen levels, snow-covered mountains and sudden temperature drops. These challenges underscored the urgent need for rigorous health screening to prevent such incidents in future, therefore, making CHC a prerequisite for registration.
He also advised for nominating doctors by their official designation who are required to personally sign the CHCs, including their name, address and NMC registration number. This step will enhance accountability and check unauthorized certificate issuance in favour of unfit persons.
Furthermore, the States have been asked to submit their lists of nominated doctors to the Shrine Board by April 5, 2025, facilitating seamless coordination ahead of the Yatra’s commencement. The registration for the Yatra, 2025, will begin on April 14, 2025, through banks, offering both online and offline options.
The participants were made aware that this is in compliance with a 2012 Supreme Court ruling ,which mandates that CHCs be issued only by designated medical officers in a prescribed format, based on a pre-requisite list, to ensure legal and procedural consistency.
It was revealed that sincethe majority of the pilgrims belong to these States/UTs, it has therefore become imperative to take up the matter with the concerned health authorities. It was highlighted that this pilgrimage involves a long and arduous trek through high-altitude terrain with risks of serious conditions like High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE).
With registration set to begin in April 2025, the Shrine Board is poised to deliver a safer, more organized pilgrimage experience in the Himalayas of Jammu and Kashmir.
Additional DDG and Director (EMR), Ministry of H&FW, made out that about 1415 doctors would be deployed on a rotation basis by the Ministry to the UT for assistance during the yatra period. He also assured the meeting that necessary instructions would be passed on to all for strict adherence to the guidelines, besides participation of their nominated doctors in the online sessions to be held shortly by the Department of Health, Government of J&K.
The States and UTs that participated in the meeting included Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, West Bengal, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
