Guv, Defence Minister review security for Amarnath yatra

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, June 25

Governor NN Vohra and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday reviewed the overall security scenario in Jammu and Kashmir at a high-level meeting here.

Sitharaman had done an aerial recce of the Amarnath yatra route, along the Pahalgam axis, and inspected the yatra arrangements at Baltal, before she arrived in Srinagar.

She reviewed the security framework for the yatra and stressed that all forces must act with complete synergy to achieve effective security on the ground.

Re-iterating the importance of a secure environment being maintained for enabling a smooth yatra and encouraging maximum tourist arrivals in the state,  Sitharaman advised the security forces to constantly review and identify any gap in the security arrangements and ensure swift and targeted counter-terror responses on the ground.

The Governor apprised the Defence Minister that while very good coordination existed between all security forces operating in the state, the police would continue to review the ground arrangements in the coming days, to ensure effective security.

Chief of Army Staff Gen Bipin Rawat, Advisers to the Governor BB Vyas and K Vijay Kumar, Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam, Director General of Police SP Vaid, Additional Secretary to Defence Minister Jiwesh Nandan, and Principal Secretary to Governor Umang Narula, among others participated in the meeting.

Earlier, Sitharaman also visited the Chinar Corps to review the overall security situation prevailing in the Valley.

Accompanied by General Rawat, she was received by Northern Command chief Lt Gen Ranbir Singh and Chinar Corps commander Lt Gen AK Bhatt, she was briefed about the security and administrative arrangements for the yatra on ground. She was also given an update by the Chinar Corps chief in Badamibagh Cantonment on the latest security scenario in the Valley, including details of anti-infiltration and anti-militant operations undertaken in the recent past.

She appreciated the effectiveness of the intelligence and operational grids and commended the commanders and troops for the excellent operational successes, which has contributed significantly towards improving the security environment in the Valley.