NGT pulls up states over degrading air quality; asks for timely action taken reports
The National Green Tribunal on Friday pulled up various states where the air quality index dipped to 'severe', 'very poor' and 'poor' categories.
Devender Singh Rana, provincial president of the National Conference, on Friday asked the National Green Tribunal (NGT) not to interfere in the religious affairs by ordering restrictions for the pilgrims of Amarnath and the Vaishno devi shrines in Jammu and Kashmir.
He urged Governor NN Vohra, who is chairman of boards of both shrines, to take up the issue with the NGT and take necessary measures to insulate the most revered pilgrimages from outside interference. This is necessary for respecting the religious sentiments of the people of a particular faith.
Terming clarification of the NGT over its controversial order on the Amarnath pilgrimage “invasive” on the religious affairs, he said commandments of any sort on the matters of faith were unacceptable.
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The directive about maintaining silence before the holy ice Shivlingam in the cave sanctum-sanctorum betrays logic as outpouring of religious humns is natural manifestation of sentiments and therefore the mouths of pilgrims cannot be ordered to be shut or stitched.
Rana said that a slew of measures have already been taken by the shrine board in consonance with the spiritual and emotional aspects of the pilgrimage besides keeping in view sentiments and emotions of devotees.
He said the NGT directives would create uncalled for restrictions during the pilgrimage and give rise to avoidable apprehensions.
Prudence demands that religious matters be left to the duly accredited bodies entrusted with management of shrines and pilgrimages, he said.
Rana pointed out that the pilgrims that turned out in lakhs were a support to the survival of those who depend on tourism in the valley.
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