Why Pilgrims are Dying at Kedarnath?

Why Pilgrims are Dying at Kedarnath?

WHAT HAS HAPPENED?

People above the age of 50, who are planning to take the Char Dham yatra, will now have to undergo mandatory health screening, the Uttarakhand government said on Sunday. The decision comes on the day two more pilgrims died in Kedarnath, taking the toll past 100.

The Char Dham yatra began on May 3, after a two-year hiatus caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

ABOUT THE YATRA

The yatra comprises pilgrimage to Yamunotri and Gangotri in Uttarkashi, Kedarnath in Rudraprayag and Badrinath in Chamoli districts – All located in the mountainous terrain of Garhwal Himalayas.

According to the state health department, 101 pilgrims have died during the course of the yatra, Including 49 in Kedarnath Dham, 20 in Badrinath Dham, 7 in Gangotri Dham and 25 in Yamunotri Dham. Of these, one each died in Kedarnath and Badrinath on Sunday.

WHAT’S THE CAUSE OF DEATH ?

Though the death of pilgrims on way to the high-altitude shrines in Uttarakhand due to cardiac problems is something which happens every year, The toll is unusually high this season after the yatra commenced on May 3 with the opening of the Yamunotri and Gangotri temples. A look at the data of pilgrim deaths in previous years shows that over 90 Char Dham devotees died in 2019, 102 in 2018 and 112 in 2017 during the entire season which lasts nearly six months from April-May to October-November every year.

Pradeep Bhardwaj, who heads Six Sigma Healthcare that provides free medical facilities in Kedarnath, attributed the high number of deaths to a combination of factors, Including absence of an acclimatisation mechanism, weak immunity of pilgrims most of whom have Covid history, precarious weather and inadequate arrangements considering the heavy rush of pilgrims. Many of those who died on way to Kedarnath died of hypothermia which is caused by extreme cold conditions.

As most of the pilgrims are not used to such high altitudes, they should be given a break in their journey at lower heights to help them acclimatise themselves with the kind of weather they are going to confront in higher altitudes. “They are not able to cope with the abrupt climatic change that they experience after coming from lower altitudes to the Himalayan temples located averagely at a height of 10,000 to 12,000 ft," Bhardwaj, a qualified doctor told. He said many pilgrims do not come with proper clothing as they are not aware of the extreme cold conditions prevailing in the high altitudes.

LACK OF HEALTH SERVICES

The Shiva temple at Kedarnath is situated at an altitude of around 11,700 feet above sea level, Badrinath (Vishnu temple), and Yamunotri at around 10,800 feet, and Gangotri at around 10,200 feet. While All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), Rishikesh, along with an NGO has set up medical camps at all the four shrines, the rush of pilgrims is so high that it is impeding timely treatment of patients. The rough terrain makes it difficult for health services to reach the needy pilgrims on time.

GOOD ROADS ALSO ONE OF THE REASON

Dilip Jawalkar, the tourism secretary said, “Earlier, the yatra was done through public transport and used to be a minimum of nine days’ travel, But now the pilgrims come in private vehicles and due to good roads, the movement is swift which gives pilgrims little time to acclimatize themselves thus adversely affecting their health.” “We have issued an advisory appealing to the pilgrims to adopt a staggered approach while on Char Dham yatra as it will provide time to acclimatize to the conditions and mitigate the adverse health effects on the body.”

60 MULES DIED

Reports claimed that mules used for ferrying pilgrims and provisions to Kedarnath, were dying of exertion and poor diet. According to a report in Times of India, 60 mules had died in

Kedarnath in 20 days of yatra. BJP MP and animal rights activist Maneka Gandhi has called up state tourism minister Satpal Maharaj regarding the deaths of mules.