Dehradun

Thirty-one pilgrims have died of mountain sickness and other health problems since the Char Dham Yatra began on May 3, Uttarakhand’s top health official.

"So far 31 pilgrims and one local resident of Badrinath have died in the 12 days since the commencement of the Char Dham Yatra. All of them died due to high blood pressure, heart attack, and mountain sickness," Uttarakhand Director-General (Health) Dr. Shailja Bhatt said.

The DG said that health screening of the pilgrims now is being done at the points created on the pilgrimage routes.

Earlier on Friday, on the instructions of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, the state Health Department started the facility of health screening at the entry and registration site of Char Dham Yatra.

"Health screening of passengers has been started at Rishikesh ISBT registration site. A health screening camp has been set up at Pandukeshwar for the pilgrims of Dobata and Hina and Badrinath Dham on the Yatra route of Yamanotri and Gangotri respectively," Dr. Bhatt said.

Passengers who are found to have any physical illness, are being advised to rest or go on the journey only after becoming fit, she said.

The yatra began with the opening of Gangotri and Yamunotri portals for devotees on May 3, on the occasion of Akshay Tritiya in the presence of Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. While Kedarnath re-opened on May 6, the doors of Badrinath opened on May 8.