By Admin 
During the Vaishno Devi Yatra in Jammu and Kashmir, heavy rains and cloudbursts created a ruckus. At least 41 people died in the natural disaster on Tuesday (August 26) and Wednesday in Reasi and Doda districts. Most of these devotees were traveling to the Vaishno Devi temple. The heavy rains recorded in the last 24 hours in Jammu region caused havoc in the area. Raising the question of Omar Abdullah on the death of pilgrims, he said that despite the warning of the Meteorological Department, why the Vaishno Devi Yatra was not stopped?
On Tuesday, 34 devotees lost their lives in the sudden cloudburst near Ardhkunwari. At the same time, four people died in Doda district due to heavy rains and sudden floods in the morning. Other people have been injured at various places and the police and disaster management team is engaged in relief and rescue operations.
Why did the board not get alert after warning – Omar Abdullah
After this incident, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed deep grief over the death of the pilgrims and questioned the officials that when the Meteorological Department had already issued a warning, why the journey was not stopped. Omar said in a conversation with the media that “When we received a warning from the Meteorological Department, could we not take any steps to save the lives of those people? Why were these people on track and why were they not taken to a safe place?” He clarified that the matter will be discussed seriously later.
CM sought answers from responsibilities
The Chief Minister also said that despite knowing before the disaster, adequate steps were not taken to ensure the safety of the devotees, which is a matter of concern. He said that it is sad to know precious and an answer will be sought from the responsibilities for this.
No answer from the board so far
Vaishno Devi Yatra is conducted by Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board, headed by Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha. This board monitors pilgrims in the Trikuta hills. However, despite the questions of Omar Abdullah, there is no official statement from this board as to why the journey was not stopped despite the weather alert.
This incident has raised serious questions about the disaster management policies of the administration and the safety of pilgrims. Amid relief work, the authorities have said to take additional steps for the safety of the devotees and the local people.