Dehradun (Uttarakhand): Just after the lapse of eight days, at least 22 pilgrims' deaths were reported during the Char Dham Yatra, putting the Uttarakhand health officials on their toes. Besides, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has also taken cognizance of the matter and sought a reply from the Uttarakhand health secretary in this regard. On Tuesday, the Uttarakhand health department was stated to have submitted the report to the PMO.
Despite tall claims of the Uttarakhand government about the preparedness for the Char Dham Yatra, the death of 22 pilgrims in the last eight days, speaks volumes about the sorry state of affairs of the health facilities in the state. Apart from this, some of the devotees are also not taking the mandatory precautionary steps while trekking the mountainous terrain.
Most of the deaths occurred due to heart attacks whereas in some cases comorbidities were responsible for such casualties. One death was reported when a pilgrim slipped and fell into a deep gorge, said Dr. Pradeep Bharadwaj who is deputed for taking care of pilgrims who were on their way to Kedarnath Shrine from Guptakashi and other places in Uttarakhand. "People, trekking higher reaches on foot or those taking the chopper to visit the Kedarnath Shrine, are supposed to take some precautionary steps," he cautions.
Devotees prefer to complete Char Dham Yatra in a haste. Our body takes time to acclimatize to the new atmospheric condition. People experience giddiness, nausea, breathlessness, and vomiting tendencies, after arriving at the Shrine which is situated at around 12,000 feet. Pilgrims having a medical conditions such as blood pressure, diabetes and asthma needed more caution while covering the hilly region. The high altitude sickness is the major health hazard for those undertaking the Char Dham Yatra, added Dr. Pradeep.
Hence people are advised to cover the pilgrimage in a staggered manner. Instead of taking a rest of 10-15 minutes, a halt of several hours would help the body to change to a new climatic condition. Devotees try to complete the Char Dham pilgrimage without giving much time, which has been proving costly for such people, he added.
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People keep on walking despite the rise in a heartbeat. This should be avoided. A person requires 70 percent oxygen at the Kedarnath Shrine, whereas the oxygen level at the place is 57 percent. Therefore, people experience nausea, giddiness, and breathlessness and those with a heart condition are at a greater risk. Devotees are advised to take healthy food instead of junk ones while trekking the heights. The distance should be covered in a staggered manner, added Pradeep.
Meanwhile, Uttarakhand tourism secretary Dilip Jawalkar, said, "A large number of devotees coming to the state for the Char Dham Yatra. The state government has made arrangements for food, lodging, and health facilities for pilgrims. People without registration are not allowed to undertake the pilgrimage. The Uttarakhand government has planned to curtail the number of devotees visiting the Shrine, to prevent any untoward incident."
