Amarnath Yatra concludes, 2.85 lakh pilgrims pay obeisance

SRINAGAR, AUGUST 26: The annual pilgrimage to the Holy Cave Shrine of Amarnath concluded today, on Shravan Purnima, amid chanting of religious hymns in the spiritual ambience of South Kashmir Himalayas.
Bhupinder Kumar, Additional Chief Executive Officer of Amarnath Shrine Board along with Shri Piyush Singla, Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal, visited the Cave Shrine early this morning and prayed for sustained peace, harmony, progress and prosperity in the State. Additional CEO stated that 2,85,006 lakh Yatris had paid obeisance at the Holy Cave Shrine during this year’s pilgrimage, which had commenced on 28th June along both the Baltal and the Pahalgam routes.
Additional CEO interacted with the Camp Directors, Additional Camp Directors, Deputy Camp Directors and other officers at Holy Cave, Neelgrath and Baltal; and reviewed the ongoing Sanitation and Camp cleaning initiatives being undertaken by them during the 2ndphase (from 25th to 28th August 2018) of the ongoing sanitation drive.
While expressing satisfaction over the sanitation drive taken up by the Shrine Board with the active cooperation of the Anantnag and Ganderbal District Administrations; Chief Executive Officers of Pahalgam Development Authority (PDA) and Sonamarg Development Authority (SDA); Security Forces; Sub Divisional Magistrate Pahalgam and Municipal Committee Pahalgam, Additional CEO exhorted the Camp Directors, Additional Camp Directors, Deputy Camp Directors, CEOs of PDA, SDA, and the head of each involved Agency to ensure that all bio-degradable and non-biodegradable wastes, including plastic wastes, are disposed off in accordance with the already approved Action Plan after the conclusion of the Yatra.
Additional CEO complimented the Civil and Police Administrations of Anantnag and Ganderbal districts, J&K Police, Central Armed Police Forces, Army, various State Government Departments and all other agencies for the smooth conduct of Yatra 2018.