SASB gives compensation of Rs 22.5 lakh to 75 ponywallahs

The Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) today distributed compensation of more than Rs 22 lakh among 75 owners whose ponies were killed in accidents during this year's Amarnath yatra.
Umang Narula, principal secretary to the Jammu and Kashmir Governor, who is also the chief executive officer of SASB, gave cheques valuing Rs 22.5 lakh to the ponywallahs during a function at Raj Bhavan here, an official spokesman said here.
The SASB manages the annual yatra to the 3,880 metre-high holy cave shrine of Amarnath in south Kashmir Himalayas.
He said the pony owners were awarded compensation at Rs 30,000 for each pony or horse killed in accidents.

Narula interacted with the claimants and lauded their cooperation and contribution in facilitating the yatris and making the annual yatra a successful event every year.
He observed that the ponywallahs were an important part of the pilgrimage and that on the directions of the governor, it has been ensured that the insurance claims' payable to the ponywallahs are settled without any delay, the spokesman said.
He said that ever since the shrine board decided, in 2010, to provide insurance cover to the ponies killed in accidents, compensation valuingabout Rs 1.92 crore has been disbursedin 626 accident cases so far.