No Amarnath Yatra this year

In view of coronavirus pandemic, the annual Amarnath Yatra pilgrimage will not be held this year. The Amarnath shrine board (SASB) hold a meet today and took a final decision regarding this.

Srinagar: The annual pilgrimage of the holy Amarnath Yatra to south Kashmir’s Himalayan cave has been cancelled due to in view of the unending coronavirus pandemic.

According to sources, The Amarnath shrine board (SASB) on Tuesday cancelled the annual Amarnath yatra 2020 citing a surge in Covid-19 cases.

"The decision was taken during a meeting of the Shrine Board which was held today via video conferencing. The Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor GC Murmu along with officials from police and administration participated and interacted with the board members," a senior official in J&K Administration told ETV Bharat.

"In the wake of the massive spike in COVID-19 cases, it was decided in the meeting that the annual Amarnath yatra must be cancelled. The SASB hold a meet on Tuesday and took a final decision regarding this," the official added.

Earlier, the Supreme Court on July 13 had dismissed a petition seeking cancellation of this year's Amarnath Yatra and had directed the Central government to provide "live darshan" of the Lord Amarnath to the devotees via the internet and television in light of the pandemic.

Following which there was speculation that the yatra may begin post-July 20, but, so far the SASB had remained uncommunicative about the schedule of the annual yatra.

Last year, the Amarnath Yatra was cut-short ahead of BJP led the central government's move of abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.