Asia’s largest religious pilgrimage on foot to be held next year in Devbhoomi Uttarakhand, Sri Nanda Devi Raj Jat, will reach the whole world through Indian embassies. Also, people living there will be motivated to join this journey. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, in a meeting called in the Secretariat on Friday regarding the preparations for Sri Nanda Devi Raj Jat, directed the officials to take steps in this direction. He said that through this journey, Uttarakhand has to be given a historical form by connecting it with abroad as well. For this, it should be widely publicized in the country and abroad. The Chief Minister said that Sri Nanda Devi Raj Jat is the heritage of Uttarakhand and it will be celebrated as a folk festival. There should be maximum participation of local residents in the journey and the government should be in a supportive role. He said that the imprint of Uttarakhand’s culture, tradition, costumes, musical instruments should be visible in Raj Jat. For this, he directed the Culture Department to prepare an action plan. He said that such arrangements should be made for folk artists so that they get paid regularly.
He asked the local public representatives and officials to hold meetings with stakeholders related to the Yatra and include their suggestions in the action plan so that the Yatra can be conducted in a better way. The Chief Minister said that the route of the Yatra is in the high Himalayan region and is sensitive. He directed to make SOP for better crowd management and disaster management from the environmental point of view as well as ban on single use plastic in the Yatra. He also directed the Disaster Management Department to take necessary steps by marking the landslide areas.
Records related to Raj Jat will be preserved
The Chief Minister said that the records related to Shri Nanda Devi Raj Jat will be preserved. This work will be done with the help of Garhwal and Kumaon Universities.
Work will start within a month
The Chief Minister asked to ensure identification and improvement of alternative routes along with the Yatra route, small parking lots in populated areas, drinking water, toilets, eco tent colony, beautification of ravines, electricity, better communication network and other arrangements. He instructed to identify the temporary and permanent works to be done on the Yatra route and get government approval for permanent structures within a month and start the work.
