Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to air 23-minute film on Amarnath Yatra

NEW DELHI: TV channels in the country will screen short films on “what it takes to go on an Amarnath Yatra” as part of an awareness campaign to prepare pilgrims for the challenges they might face during the yatra, considered one of the toughest pilgrimages in the country.

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has decided to show spot films of 23 minutes each, describing the trek through the caves, the extreme climate conditions during the valley and the precautions pilgrims must take during the journey. While the films will be screened as short films on Doordarshan at regular intervals from next week, the ministry is also in the process of asking private channels to run them before the yatra commences in July.

“The yatra begins in July but registration for it starts on March 1. We have started awareness much earlier this time so that people are mentally and physically prepared for the pilgrimage and know how difficult it is,” Rakesh Kumar Gupta, CEO, Amarnath Shrine Board.

Some years ago over 250 pilgrims died on the way to Amarnath due to bad weather. Every year, there have been deaths reported due to bad climate or road accidents. The Amarnath yatra attracts over 3.5 lakh pilgrims every year.

Officials of the ministry had a meeting recently in which the course of the awareness programme was decided. AIR, it is believed will relay constant guidelines to pilgrims and tell them about new medical centres opened by the government this time. The government this year has taken its role of providing advocacy to the pilgrims much seriously, said officials.