Compensation cheques amounting to over Rs. 26 lakh were distributed among those whose ponies/horses were involved in accidental deaths during Shri Amarnathji Yatra this year at a function held at Raj Bhavan here today.As Mr. N. N. Vohra, Governor, who is Chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, was away from the station, he had asked Mr. Navin K. Choudhary, Chief Executive Officer of the Shrine Board, to request Mian Altaf Ahmad, Minister for Forests and Environment, to give away compensation cheques to the ponywallahs. Mian Altaf Ahmad gave away cheques to 87 ponywallahs, at Rs. 30,000 per every horse/pony lost in an accident. This amounted to an outgo of Rs. 26 lakh as compensation for the ponies/horses killed in accidents during Shri Amarnathji Yatra this year.
Speaking on the occasion, Mian Altaf Ahmad said that the provision of insurance cover for the ponies/horses in case of their accidental death during the Yatra is an extremely laudable welfare measure and provides strong relief to the economically weaker sections of the society whose animals get killed in accidents. He thanked the Governor for taking keen interest in the welfare of the pony/horse owners and observed that there has been tremendous improvement in the management of Shri Amarnathji Yatra, particularly in the past five years, benefiting the Yatris as well as all the stakeholders and the people who earn their livelihood from this annual pilgrimage. He complimented the Governor and the management of the Shrine Board for taking all the required initiatives for bringing about continuing improvements in the Yatra management. He particularly referred to the laudable measures taken by the Shrine Board for ensuring cleanliness and the protection of environment of the entire Yatra area. He observed that it should be the endeavour of all of us to bring about further improvements in the Yatra management, wherever required, to facilitate the visiting Yatris. Nazir Ahmad Khan (Gurezi), Minister of State for Animal and Sheep Husbandry, thanked the Governor for taking laudable initiative for putting in place the provision of insurance cover launched with the support of the State Government for compensating the loss suffered by the pony/horse owners on account of the accidental deaths of their animals during the Yatra, benefiting the poor ponywallahs. He put forth several suggestions for bringing about progressive improvements in the management of the Yatra. He also thanked the Governor and the management of the Shrine Board for expeditious settlement of the insurance claims of the ponywallahs.
Mr. Rafi Ahmad Mir, MLA, Pahalgam, thanked the Governor for appreciating the losses suffered by the pony/horse owners due to the accidental deaths of their animals during Shri Amarnathji Yatra and for the mechanism devised to compensate their losses by providing insurance cover to their animals. Putting forth various suggestions for brining about continuing improvements in the management of the Yatra, he said that considerable economic benefits flow to the local population from this pilgrimage. Navin K. Choudhary, Principal Secretary to the Governor and the CEO of the Shrine Board, said that ponywallahs are an important part of the Yatra and the Governor had issued directions to get their insurance claims settled expeditiously. He stated that the Governor has also asked him to take up the matter with the concerned Insurance Companies to speedily settle the remainder insurance claims of the ponywallahs. He said that the collective efforts of every one had resulted in the smooth conduct of the pilgrimage and the Governor had, at the Post-Yatra Review Meeting particularly thanked and complimented Mian Altaf Ahmad, Minister for Forests and Environment; Mr. Nazir Ahmad Khan (Gurezi), Minister of State for Animal and Sheep Husbandry; Mr. Rafi Ahmad Mir, MLA Pahalgam; the Deputy Commissioners of Anantnag and Ganderbal, their concerned officers, all the stakeholders, and the people at large for their commitment for ensuring a smooth Yatra.
Mr. Preet Pal Singh, Additional CEO of the Shrine Board, gave details of the insurance claims of the pony/horse owners who were presented insurance claim cheques today. Mrs. Sarita Chouhan, Secretary, Animal and Sheep Husbandry Department, Mr. Sarmad Hafeez, Deputy Commissioner, Ganderbal; Dr. Shamas-ud-Din Makhdoomi, Director, Animal Husbandry Department, Kashmir; Additional Deputy Commissioner, Anantnag; Chief Animal Husbandry Officers of Anantnag and Ganderbal districts and several other officers and pony/horse owners were present on the occasion.