229 BHADRA 4, 1918 (Saka) Tragedy During Amarnath Yatra 230 President since a report was last made to the House on to discuss about this. In fact, as I said. I have received the 11th June, 1996 :- a lot of notices. I will allowed one by one to speak on 1. The Appropriation (No.2) Bill. 1996: this. Let us not go into the debate now because we will find out a way to discuss about it. 2. The Appropriation (Vote on Account) No.2 Bill. 1996: SHRI MANORANJAN BHAKTA : Mr. Speaker, Sir. kindly say something about Mother Teresa. She ;s 3. The Appropriation (Railways) NO.3 Bill. 1996: undergoing treatment in a Calcutta Hospital. 4. The Supreme Courts and High Court Judges MR. SPEAKER: Yes. I think. on behalf of the House. (Conditions of Service) Amendment Bill. we will wish her a speedy recovery. 1996: 5. The Industr:al Disputes (Amendment) Bill. 1996: 12.05 hrs. 6. The Employees' Provident Fund and Miscellaneous Provisions (Amendment) Bill. RE: TRAGEDY DURING AMARNATH YATRA 1996: 7. The Arbitration and Conciliation Bill. 1996: [Translation] and SHRI ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE (Lucknow) : Han. 8. The Building and Other Construction Speaker. Sir. I am sorry. In this morning where you have Workers' Welfare Cess Bill. 1996. expressed condolences on the death of a former han Member. you have also expressed condolences on the death of these people who went on a pilgrimage to Amarnath. But the question is not only to express [English] condolences, we want to express our resentment. Is it (Interruptions) fury of nature or some sort of human failure is invOlVed in it? Therefore. we have given adjournment motion in SHRI MANORANJAN BHAKTA (Andman and this respect. Our adjournment motion fulfil all the Nicobar Islands) : Mr. Speaker, Sir, today, it is the· conditions of rules. 11 is also important under which birthday of Mother Teresa. She is ailing, and she is rules discussion will take place. We would like to stress under treatment. Let us pray for her quick and speedy and request you to allow us to move adjournment motion recovery. and given an opportunity to criticise the Government. MR. SPEAKER: On behalf of the House. I wish her a speedy recovery. [English] (Interruptions) SHRI JASWANT SINGH (Chittorgarh) : Mr. Speaker, Sir. I do wish to emphasise why we have moved an SHRI PR. DASMUNSI (Howrah) : A large number adjournment Motion. The Leader of the Opposition has of people were killed In this Amarnath tragedy. But the Governor including all his officers were here in Delhi pointed out one thing. In fact. it is very unusual and exceptional that the Chair expresses collective grief for the last three days. What was the Government doing in Delhi for the last three days? ... (Interruptions) I sent and conveys collective condolence from the chair itself. three communications ... (lnterruptions) One such occasion was today when you are persuaded to do it of your own. We had also pleaded with you that [Translation} such collective expression of grief be expressed by this House. There are no other reasons to seek an PROF. RASA SINGH RAWAT (Ajmer) : Hon. Speaker, Adjournment Motion. This in itself would amount to Sir, we have an adjournment motion on it. conceding our demand that our Motion for Adjournment SHRI GULAM RASOOL KAR (Baramulla) : The be admitted. Government should have come forward itself and made As the Motion itself says, it is a grim human tragedy a statement. of unprecedented dimensions. In turn, what are these [English] dimensions? That is why, this ;s directly related to the question why and Adjournment Motion should be SHRI SURESH KALMADI (Pune) : Sir, the Amarnath accepted. Till today. as of now, even while we are tragedy is a very serious issue and that must be discussing this, over 150.000 pilgrims have been discussed here. abandoned to their fate in a mountainous terrain in MR. SPEAKER : Please sit down. Well, hon. most adverse weather conditions. Of the atmost 350. Members. I have received a number of notices on this kms. of road and track. at least a hundred Kilometres unfortunate incident in Amarnath. J had referred to it of that is purely mountainous track. We are not unmindfuf during the obituary reference. We should find out a way of certain other things. Our complaint ;s not about the 231 Tragedy During Amarnath Yatra AUGUST 26, 1996 Tragedy During Amarnath Yatra 232 adverse weather.' Our complaint and the reason why we pilgrims. And the Army in turn was not called out wish to move an Adjournment Motion is about official because there was simply no one in Jammu and Kashmir apathy. Governmental insensitivity and total to officially call the Army out. There was not one even incompetence in planning adequate preparations and to make that request to the Armed Forces. The Chief thereafter taking care to provide timely succour and Secretary. I am informed. was also absent. The casualty relief to the pilgrims who were abandoned there. This evacuations from there where deaths have taken place is unforgivable because. as of today. even while we are and the figures that are being given are all wrong. I am ' doing this. the sense of urgency that should be governing informed that 2000 people were heli-lifted from the Government action is totally absent. Those who are Panchtarni to Baltal. It is practically impossible - 2000 familiar with the terrain would· know that at Panchtarani. people to be lifted from Panchtarni to Baltal involves which is in excess of 15.000 feet. pilgrims are still both ways one hour's flight by helicopters at least. You abandoned. There are pilgrims abandoned at Seshnag. cannot lift more than 16 people at a time. And if 2000 There are about 70,000 pilgrims today at Pahalgam. people were lifted. you would have to really deploy the The important point is that Pahalgam has in no capacity entire helicopters of the Air Force. These wrong figures to absorb 70.000 people. If you put 70.000 pilgrims in are being propounded. Pahalgam. that in itself creates problems. The Look at the question of relief trains. I got in touch Goverr.ment is totally unmindful of this. There are no with our representative in Udhampur. I tried to get in accurate figures of the dead. There are differences touch with the Railway Minister. Finally. I succeeded in between the figures that are being spoken of by the getting in touch with the only officer available. he was official and the non-official agencies. The disparity in the Union Home Secretary. I was informed that a railway the numbers. Report coming to 'us from our train was placed in Jamm u to enable people from representatives from that area. from the unofficial Jammu to move out on the evening of the 24th. Then agencies. from other agencies and from the pilgrims I am informed that there were not enough yatris to themselves show these variation. The reports vary from move away. I find it amazing when 150.000 people 200 to many multiples of deaths that have taken places. have been told that the yatra is abandoned and they ThEfte are reports that 400 bodies have already been are being asked to come away that there was no one conveyed to Srinagar. The casualty evacuation has been in the relief train to move out. This is a canard that is laggard. I had instructions from my Leader. I had to to being spread because what has brought this about is . do it myself. I was there. Between yesterday and day the Government's announcement saying. 'yatra is before, I tried to contact everyone concerned with this. cancelled: yatra is taking place again yatra is cancelled." I tried to contact the Prime Minister. I would informed And just one relief train for 150.000 pilgrims to be that Prime Minister was away in U.P' moved out, I think the Union Home Minister and Union I tried to contact the Home Minister. I was informed Railway Minister ought to reflect on this. that the Home Minister was away in Calcutta. I tried to In addition to all these points, why do we say that contact the Defence Minister. He was away elsewhere. the Adjournment Motion ought to be admitted is because I tried to contact even the Railway Minister because never in the living memory has the yatra of the chhadi there is a direct linkage of rail relief. But the Railway mubarak to Amarnath Cave been abandoned in this Minister was also absent. And most unforgivable, the fashion. It has never happened in living memory that Governor of Jammu and Kashmir who is directly before Raksha Bandhan. the yatra is abandoned and responsible for the governance of that State on behalf the yafries are asked to move back. Now today we are of the Government of India. when this enormous tragedy informed over radio that the plans are being made to was unfolding itself, was content to stay and be in Delhi carry the chhadi mubarak by helicopter to the Amarnath for three days. And the Governor did not find it cave. This is an unprecedented human tragedy. In living necessary to go back to Srinagar.. (/nterruptions) No memory. it has never happened that Amarnath yatrei' is simply that. The hon. Home Minister was in the Valley abandoned in this fashion and the chhadi mubarak is on the 22nd of August. The yatra had already started on carried to the cave simply in a helicopter. If this is not 22nd of August. The Home Minister made references to a failure.