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Srinagar, June 28 (UNI) The Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) today denied media reports suggesting that permanent structures have been raised at Baltal or a road is being laid from Rangamorh to Domel enroute the holy cave shrine.

According to reports, Forest Minister Abdul Hamid Karra had taken objection to the construction of permanent structures by the SASB.

''The Minister seems to have been misled and not briefed about the facts,'' a board spokesperson said.

He pointed out that the Board has only constructed pre-fabricated shelters on nuts and bolts which could be removed when required.

During the October 8 earthquake last year, in fact, these pre-fabricated shelters from Baltal were sent to Uri and Tangdhar, the spokesperson said, adding these were the first lot of shelters to be installed there.

He said the SASB's use of traditional camping grounds during the pilgrimage had been sanctioned by the Forest Department on March 27 last year and upheld by the Jammu and Kashmir High Court through its various orders.

The spokesperson said a House Committee on Environment led by National Conference leader Mubarak Gul on a tour of Nunwan and Chandanwari camps on June 26 had very strongly recommended that if pollution during the pilgrimage was to be checked then the SASB should be the only authority to regulate the camps in all respects.

''It is well known that in the name of safeguarding the interests of tents and shop owners, permissions in the past were given liberally to pitch tents in a haphazard manner, but no obligation was imposed on them to make sanitation or garbage disposal arrangements on them,'' he added.

The SASB has taken very strong measures to tackle this menace, the spokesperson said.

He described as incorrect the reports on road construction by the SASB, saying the road from Ranga Morh in Sonamarg to Domel was being constructed by the Roads and Buildings Department of the state government and not by the Board.

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