Jammu, Mar 26: 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 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 of the requirements to be met by a person for safe pilgrimage.
He also asked the participating Health Secretaries to further ensure rationalization of doctors across the health facilities commensurate to the number of pilgrims from that area. He declared that this would reciprocate into thorough clinical assessment of the applicants on part of the medics thereby ensuring 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 provide 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 AmarnathJi Shrine Board (SASB), said in past doctors had issued CHCs to unfit pilgrims, including those with comorbidities, 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.
