Govt committed to preserve J&K’s cultural, spiritual heritage: CM

Ganderbal, Jun 18: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Thursday visited the revered Mata Kheer Bhawani Temple at Tulmulla in Ganderbal district to review the arrangements being put in place for the forthcoming annual Mata Kheer Bhawani Mela.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by Advisor to Chief Minister, Nasir Aslam Wani; Political Advisor to the Chief Minister, Mudasir Shahmiri; Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister, Dheeraj Gupta; Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal, Jatin Kishore; Senior Superintendent of Police Ganderbal, Sudhanshu Dhama and other officers.
During the visit, the Chief Minister paid took spot inspection of various facilities being established for the convenience of devotees and reviewed preparations related to accommodation, drinking water supply, sanitation, power supply, healthcare services, security, traffic management and other essential arrangements.
Deputy Commissioner Ganderbal, Jatin Kishore briefed the Chief Minister on the level of preparedness made for the smooth facilitation to the devotees vis-a-vis sanitation, drinking water supply, electricity, healthcare services, de-silting of Nallah, additional mobile toilets and other arrangements alongwith backup besides accommodation, and langar facilities.
Interacting with officers on the spot, the Chief Minister emphasized the significance of the annual mela and directed all departments to work in close coordination to ensure that devotees are provided a safe, comfortable and spiritually fulfilling experience during their visit to the temple.
He stressed the need for maintaining high standards of cleanliness and hygiene in and around the temple premises and instructed the concerned departments to ensure uninterrupted availability of basic services throughout the mela period.
The Chief Minister also reviewed arrangements for medical aid, emergency response services and transportation facilities. He directed the concerned agencies to remain fully prepared to promptly address any requirement of pilgrims and ensure smooth movement of devotees.
During the visit, members of the local community and representatives of various organizations interacted with the Chief Minister and expressed satisfaction over the arrangements being made for the annual pilgrimage.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment towards preserving the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister said that the annual Mata Kheer Bhawani Mela symbolizes the region’s age-old traditions of harmony, mutual respect and communal brotherhood.