Pilgrims heading for the Kinner Kailash Yatra in Kinnaur may find locals a little less welcoming this time. Ahead of the yatra, which begins on July 1, residents of a few panchayats along the yatra route have submitted a memorandum to the Kinnaur Deputy Commissioner, urging the administration to cancel the pilgrimage.“Local deities have warned us to stop the yatra. The residents followed the command of the deities in asking the administration to cancel the yatra,” said Baldev Singh, a member of Dev Samaj\B \Bin Pawari gram panchayat. The track to Kinner Kailash, believed to be the abode of Lord Shiva, from Pawari gram panchayat, the starting point of the yatra, is around 16-17 km. Normally, it takes two to three days for the pilgrims to complete the yatra.According to Baldev Singh, the yatra has become more of a pleasure trip than a pilgrimage. “It is polluting our water sources, damaging our medicinal plants and herbs, including a special flower used for worshipping the local deity,” said Negi. In this part of the world, the voice of a local deity plays a vital role in almost every aspect of people’s lives. If the deity’s hint is not heeded, people feel it could bring misfortune.“If the yatra still goes ahead despite our objections, we want the administration to give us a written assurance that it would compensate us if we suffer any loss of life and property in some natural disaster,” said Baldev Singh.Meanwhile, the yatra management committee, comprising local residents, feels the concerns raised in the memorandum are already being taken care of. The secretary of the committee, Naresh, said the panel was formed in 2022 on the directions of the local deity to facilitate the yatra along with the district administration. “The committee facilitates and monitors the yatra. We inform the administration if we notice any issues related to sanitation, littering, etc. Forest personnel are deployed to ensure no harm is done to flowers and herbs,” said Naresh.He further said the committee was setting up 12 permanent toilets along the route to ensure there’s no defecation in the open. While expressing deep faith in the local deity, Naresh pointed out that the pilgrims, too, undertake the yatra with the same devotion to Lord Shiva. “It would not be appropriate to stop anyone from undertaking the yatra,” he said.The administration has offered a permanent camp to the petitioners at the base camp so that they could keep an eye on the yatra from close quarters. “We have told them that they could point out any shortcomings they notice and they will be rectified at the earliest,” said Deputy Commissioner Amit Sharma. He further said to maintain the sanctity of the place, only 375 pilgrims are allowed per day on the route, which is insignificant compared to other yatras in North India. “Nevertheless, there’s scope for improvement in certain areas, including solid waste management. And we are working on it,” said Sharma.