Jammu Kashmir
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| | Tent wallas oppose new permission procedure by SASB | | | SRINAGAR, Nov 18: Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB) has issued fresh directions to tent wallas about permission process.
Hundreds of tent and travel operators who held a meeting at Pahalgam today complained that the
shrine board has put hard conditions for them for erection of tents during the next yatra. They gave a seven day deadline to the SASB for taking back all the conditions, which they allege are only aimed at keeping them away from the yatra affair.
SASB few days back has issued the notification in a local daily asking the tent wallas to submit their documents for the permission by December 25. The tent wallas have also been asked to purchase new particular brand of tents to be erected during the yatra. The notification reads that one family will be given permission for only two tents.
Secretary of the tent and travel operators association, Mohammad Ishaq, alleged that SASB is trying to keep the locals away from the yatra and that is why they come up with the new hard conditions for them every year.
“The notification for permission of stalls or tents at yatra base camps or en-route cave shrine was issued only a month before the commencement of yatra but this time the board is asking us to apply for permission 6 months ago which speaks of their evil intention,” he said.
The secretary stated that most of the youth associated with yatra go to other states during winter season in connection with shawl business. “SASB knows that the youth being outside these days can not apply by the last date which has been fixed as December 25 and thus issued notification,” Khan added.
President of the association, Mushtaq Pahalgami, said that SASB’s fresh diktat to them to purchase new brand of tents for the yatra has no justification. “SASB few days back displayed a tent at base camp
Nunwan and asked all the tent wallas to purchase the same tents. The cost of tent is too much to bear for a poor tent walla who earns hardly Rs 10, 000 to 15, 000 during the entire yatra season,” he said.
The tent operators threatened to launch agitation if SASB does not end the conditions laid by them in the notification. |
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