Construction Of Road Up to Amarnath Cave A Natural Disaster: Omar Abdullah

Omar Abdullah said that while they welcome Amarnath Yatra and will facilitate it in future as well, but added that taking vehicles up to the Holy Cave is totally an environmental disaster.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today objected to the construction of the road up to Holy Amarnath cave in Kashmir saying that it's a natural disaster and needs to be re-looked immediately. Abdullah said, "When the government and courts have banned the renovation of residential houses in Dal Lake Srinagar, Pahalgam to save the green belt and when construction has been stopped at Gulmarg, when structures aren't being allowed to come up in Sonmarg, what about the environment at Holy Cave and its surrounding areas?"

Abdullah said that while they welcome Amarnath Yatra and will facilitate it in future as well, but added that taking vehicles up to the Holy Cave is totally an environmental disaster. He said, "Yatra is on our shoulders but when we have to save Dal Lake, Gulmarg, Pahalgam, Sonmarg and other places, don't we need to save the forest area around Amarnath holy cave? To facilitate it is one thing but in the name of facilitating, destroying the environment is something that must be rethought."

The former CM said, "Pilgrims in Mata Vaishno Devi didn't presume their pilgrimage complete till they walk by foot. Muslims also do Tawaf by foot in Makah and the same is the case with Amarnath Yatra where people like to perform Yatra in a religious way on foot."

Omer Abdullah also raised the issue of a ban on government employees' protests and said there should be some mechanism where employees should be given space or a forum to raise their issues. Omer Abdullah also said that he is hopeful that the Supreme Court will pronounce the verdict on Article 370 by the end of this year.

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Credit: ZEE NEWS