srinagar: Amarnath pilgrimage resumed on Monday after remaining suspended for three days following flash floods that claimed 15 lives, while the Jammu and Kashmir administration said it would get a clear picture by Tuesday about the damage.
In the wake of allegations that the pilgrim camp was set up at a "risky" site, a spokesperson for Raj Bhavan said that flash floods that occurred in the past were taken into account during the planning and Friday's gush of water "was beyond calculations and never witnessed before".
The cave shrine is located at an altitude of 3,880 metre in south Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is the chairman of Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) which manages the annual yatra. The spokesperson clarified that the tents were never placed at the river bed and were, in fact, moved far beyond an embankment created this year for the safety of people. "While planning for the tent this year, SASB had taken into consideration the flash flood occurring in 2021 and 2015. ''The process of constructing protection bunds by way of crate protection was started in October 2021, following discussion with experts and considering the last year's experience of flash floods in August,'' the official said.