Jammu, Sep 21 : Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday praised the 120 langar organisations and thousands of volunteers for their selfless service during the recently concluded Amarnath yatra, saying their contribution strengthened lakhs of pilgrims.
While felicitating the organisers and volunteers of the Langar organisations at Katra in Reasi district, Sinha said the volunteers worked day and night at base camps and along the arduous routes despite the biting cold, without seeking recognition or reward.
“Langar volunteers are living embodiments of selfless service and compassion,” he said, adding that history will remember the contribution of every stakeholder associated with the sacred pilgrimage, as they carry India’s eternal cultural consciousness.
The 57-day pilgrimage began on July 3 and concluded on Raksha Bandhan on August 28, with more than 4.80 lakh devotees having darshan of Baba Barfani.
“The true soul of Lord Shiva’s pilgrimage lies not only in reaching the holy cave, but also in the remarkable spirit of selfless service visible at the base camps and along those difficult routes,” the Lieutenant Governor (LG) said.
He said about 82 per cent of the darshans were completed within the first 20 days and 95 per cent within 30 days. Despite more than 10 days of rainfall and an unexpected rush of unregistered pilgrims during the first four to five days, coordinated efforts by the Shrine Board and stakeholders ensured uninterrupted services and facilities, he said.
Highlighting the arrangements, Sinha said around 1.87 lakh devotees used palanquin and pony services through the digital prepaid system, ensuring adherence to prescribed rates, swift complaint redressal, and ending overcharging.
He said 93 medical facilities, with more than 595 beds and 26 oxygen booths, were established during the yatra. The DRDO and the Department of Health and Medical Education also set up 100-bed hospitals at Baltal and Chandanwari.
A total of 1,430 doctors and health workers were deployed round the clock, along with 48 ambulances, including 4×4 vehicles for inaccessible routes, he said.
Around 7,900 toilet and bathing units were installed, and an equal number of sanitation workers were deployed, contributing towards the objective of a zero-waste yatra. Sinha also recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reference to the “Swachh Amarnath Yatra” in his ‘Mann Ki Baat’ programme.
The LG said the pilgrimage once again demonstrated that when the administration, civil society, residents of Jammu and Kashmir and Langar Organisations work with a shared resolve, no challenge is insurmountable.
Calling the stakeholders custodians of India’s shared civilisational heritage, he urged them to begin preparations for next year’s yatra based on this year’s experience and work with the Shrine Board to make the Shri Amarnath Ji Yatra a model spiritual pilgrimage.
“My prayer is that Lord Shiva may continue to shower His divine grace upon you all, and that every year you may continue to serve Baba’s devotees in the same manner,” Sinha said.
He also called on the Shrine Board and Langar Organisations to explore including millets in community kitchens and bhojnalayas and to promote healthier dietary habits.
