Dehradun: The Uttarakhand government on Thursday issued a health advisory in 11 languages for Chardham pilgrims, asking them to follow guidelines like acclimatization and medical check-up before starting their journey to the Himalayan shrines.
Health Secretary R Rajesh Kumar said, “We were earlier issuing advisories in Hindi and English. But now we are issuing them in nine more languages so that pilgrims coming from different states can understand them easily and take necessary precautions for their safety.” Be careful.”
He said the nine languages in which the advisory was issued on Thursday include Tamil, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, Bengali, Gujarati, Punjabi, Marathi and Oriya.
It said acclimatization is necessary before starting the yatra as the Himalayan shrines in the Chardham Yatra are located at an altitude of over 2,700 metres.
Travelers to these places can be affected by extreme cold, low humidity, extreme ultraviolet radiation, low air pressure, and low oxygen.
Pilgrims visiting Kedarnath, Badrinath, Yamunotri and Gangotri Dham should ensure medical and trek preparation before travel. The advisory states that high altitude can lead to medical problems – it is important to plan, prepare and pack for it.
Plan a trip for at least seven days, allowing time for acclimatization. Plan frequent breaks, take a 5-10 minute break every one hour of a trek or an automobile ascent every two hours.
“Do breathing exercises for 5-10 minutes daily. Walk for 20-30 minutes daily,” the advisory said. “If age 55 or have a history of heart disease, asthma, high blood pressure, or diabetes, get a health checkup done to ensure fitness for travel”.
Woolen sweaters, thermals, puffer jackets, gloves, socks, rain gear, raincoat, umbrella, and basic health check up equipment like pulse oximeter, thermometer etc. should be carried.
According to the advisory, pilgrims with pre-existing conditions like heart disease, asthma, hypertension and diabetes should carry all current medicines and testing equipment along with the contact number of their home doctor.
“Please check weather reports before your trip, and make sure you have enough warm clothing to manage in extremely cold temperatures. Do not travel if your doctor advises against it.”
If a pilgrim experiences chest pain, shortness of breath, persistent cough, dizziness, vomiting, icy/cold skin, weakness or numbness in one part of the body, they should reach the nearest healthcare contact point.
It asks pilgrims not to consume alcohol, caffeinated drinks, sleeping pills and strong painkillers during the journey and also to refrain from smoking.
According to the advisory, pilgrims should drink at least two liters of fluids and take nutritious food during the entire journey.