Rudraprayag. Two healthy horses were sent to Kedarnath on Friday as an experiment from Gaurikund with some restrictions from Gaurikund amidst the ban on his operations on Kedarnath walking on Kedarnath walking after the death of 13 horse-mules. Officials here said that if the results of sending these horse-mules in the form of Bhavalana are correct, then they can be started in the coming days.
After the death of 8 and 5 horses respectively on May 4 and 5, their composition was banned on the Kedarnath Yatra route. Animal Husbandry Secretary of Uttarakhand, Dr. BVRC Purushottam had said that eight horses died of ‘diarrhea’ and five horses died of ‘Acute Colic’. He had said that samples of these horses have been sent to the Indian Veterinary Research Institute (IVRI) in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh for the detailed report. To reach Kedarnath Dham, located at a height of more than eleven and a half thousand feet, one has to travel about 16 kilometers from Gaurikund.
Some devotees have to resort to pits, palanquins or horses to decide this path. Since the ban on the operation of horse-mules, pilgrims have been reaching Kedarnath using palanquin or pits. The journey from horse mule is relatively inexpensive than palanquin, so a large number of devotees prefer to use them.
A businessman who provided this facility on the Kedarnath road said that it has also affected the influx of pilgrims and this has reduced the congestion. Apart from passengers, freight is also carried out through horse-mules. Chief Veterinary Officer of Rudraprayag, Dr. Ashish Rawat said that healthy horse-mules will be allowed to go to Kedarnath only after being found fit in medical examination.
Meanwhile, officials and traders have also made it clear that there is no shortage of food or other essential materials in the travel route and Kedarnath. Businessman Prakash Bisht said that there has been no decrease in the supply of any material due to the ban on the operation of horse-mules. He appealed to the devotees not to travel without any hesitation and ignore the false rumors being spread through social media or other means.
Also read: Kedarnath Dham: Now do Baba Kedarnath’s Live Darshan, 10 LCD tv installed in temple premises
