Trust sought for Manimahesh

Our Correspondent

KANGRA, SEPTEMBER 27

Mahant Swami Virendranand Giri, state president, Matth Mandir Suraksha Samiti, Himachal Pradesh, today demanded that a trust be constituted for Manimahesh pilgrimage in Chamba district on the pattern on Vaishno Devi and Amarnath pilgrimages in Jammu and Kashmir in order to provide all facilities and security to the visiting pilgrims.

In a letter to Governor Acharya Devvrat, Swami Giri expressed his satisfaction over the arrangements for traffic regulation, parking, police arrangements, powers supply and drinking water facilities made by the government for this year’s Manimahesh yatra. He, however, demanded that to make the pilgrimage more comfortable and attractive for the national and international pilgrims a trust was needed to be constituted under the chairmanship of the Governor on the pattern of the Amarnath and Vaishno Devi pilgrimage.

He said a trust under politicians to be run by the bureaucrats was not acceptable to Matth Mandir Suraksha Samiti.

Swami Giri lauded the efforts of the Chamba district and Bharmaur sub-divisional authorities for implementing the High Court decision regarding ban on animal sacrifice which has not only saved animals from sacrifice but also left Chaugan at Chamba clean.

He expressed concern that on the occasion of Janamashtami and Radha Ashtami this year the liquor shops were open at Bharmaur and Hadsar. He said that police had failed to control the use of liquor and other drugs during the Manimahesh pilgrimage this year.

He said there were no toilets en route from Hadsar to Dal Lake, thus dealing a blow to the Prime Minister’s Swachh Abiyan as the pilgrims were forced to go for open defecation.