Overview

• Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chaired a high-level meeting on June 18 at the Civil Secretariat to finalize arrangements for the upcoming holy month of Muharram.
• A Secretary-level nodal officer, independent of the Divisional Commissioner, has been appointed to oversee coordination among government departments across the Union Territory.
• Departments were directed to guarantee uninterrupted water through tankers and storage tanks, maintain continuous electricity with high-mast lighting, intensify sanitation drives with high-pressure water canons, and ensure essential healthcare services at major congregation sites.
• The Food Department, in coordination with the FCI, will oversee timely distribution of rations and firewood, particularly in rural areas with higher demand.
• Arrangements will extend beyond the first ten days to cover the full two months and eight days of Muharram rituals, a period that overlaps with the Amarnath Yatra and heightens logistical demands.