The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : State to insist on health card for Haj pilgrims

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 25, 2006

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

State to insist on health card for Haj pilgrims

J.S. Ifthekhar

`The pilgrimage is a must when one is physically and financially sound'

Ausaf Sayeed

Hyderabad: Pilgrims performing Haj this year will be asked to go through a strict health check before embarking on the pilgrimage. This follows detection of many chronic ailments among pilgrims during the previous Haj. "We will now insist on a proper health card giving a brief history of the health status of the pilgrim", said Ausaf Sayeed, Consul General of India in Jeddah. "Haj is compulsory only when you are physically fit and financially sound," Dr. Sayeed said.

Flexible religion

Referring to the stampede last year, which claimed the lives of 62 Indian pilgrims, he said, Indian pilgrims, who follow the Hanfi school of thought, are very rigid when it comes to performing rituals . Islam is a flexible religion and it permits the elderly and women to perform the ritual during night also, he said.

This time the Government of Saudi Arabia had decided to stagger the departure timing of pilgrims from Meena to Mecca to avoid the stampede.

The first departure will be on 12th Zul Hijja evening followed by departures on 13th morning and evening.

The Government was also laying dedicated roads for speedy clearance of pilgrims. Separate roads for North American and Turkey pilgrims are laid while the road for South Asian pilgrims would be ready in next three years.

Dr. Sayeed said Haj is a very complex managerial exercise undertaken by the Indian Government, outside the country. More than 500 officers are deputed to Saudi Arabia every year. Besides 900 others are recruited during the season to manage this gigantic task, Dr. Sayeed said.

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