Amarnath not a 'silent zone', chanting of mantras allowed, clarifies NGT

New Delhi: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) clarified on Thursday that it did not declare Amarnath a 'silent zone' and chanting of mantras was not banned at the Amarnath temple.On Wednesday, a bench headed by NGT chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar has declared the area around the Amarnath cave shrine a 'silence zone', saying it would be helpful in preventing avalanches and maintaining its pristine nature.The Tribunal has issued some instructions regarding the Amarnath Yatra, which were opposed by religious organisations, including the BJP. The media has propagated his instructions wrongly, it added.

It also clarified that its order was meant to preserve the sanctity of the shrine by minimising damage caused to it by 'adverse noise'.Reiterating its yesterday's order, the Tribunal asked the devotees to maintain a single file from the base camp leading up to the shrine. "These directions are to maintain sanctity of the cave and to ensure no adverse noise impact on the Shivling. Silence restrictions will not apply on Arti and other rituals", it had said."Nobody would be permitted to carry anything from the stairs leading to the holy cave and everybody should be properly frisked at the entry point. From the point of stairs and the area inside the cave should be declared silence zone," the bench has said yesterday.

The Green panel had ordered removal of iron grills in front of the ice stalagmite resembling the 'Shiva Linga' so that devotees could get a better view of it and said there should be no noise pollution near the sacred structure.It also restrained carriage of personal belongings, including mobile phones, beyond the last checkpoint and asked the shrine board to construct a place where pilgrims can keep their valuables.

The panel also directed the committee of experts headed by an additional secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) to submit an action plan on providing facilities to the pilgrims within three weeks.The Amarnath cave shrine is considered to be one of the holiest in Hinduism. The cave itself is covered with snow most of the year except for a short period of time in summer when it is open for pilgrims. (UNI)