India's Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad addressing a press conference at Ajyad Hotel in Makkah on Saturday. Indian Ambassador Hamid Ali Rao and Consul General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai are also seen in the picture. — SG photo Hassan Cheruppa Saudi Gazette JEDDAH — As about 136,000 Indian pilgrims started heading for Mina overnight, Federal Minister for Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed satisfaction over the facilities and services being arranged for the pilgrims. Addressing a press conference at Ajyad Hotel in Makkah on Saturday evening, Azad thanked Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, other leaders and people of Saudi Arabia for making excellent arrangements for the pilgrims. Azad, who leads the country's two-member Haj goodwill delegation, said the government of India will try to find a solution to three major problems raised by the pilgrims during an interaction with them as well as in a meeting attended by the officials on Saturday. Accompanied by Indian Ambassador Hamid Ali Rao, Consul General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai and Haj Consul Sheikh Muhammad Noor Rahman, the minister visited several buildings where Indian pilgrims are staying near the Haram and Aziziyah in order to oversee the arrangements. He also paid a visit to pilgrims admitted to the 50-bed hospital in Jarwal and 30-bed hospital in Aziziyah, as well as those receiving treatment from outpatient clinics. “Our pilgrims are generally happy with the facilities and services. It was nice to meet and see that our oldest pilgrim Ismail, aged 107, and Hava Beevi, aged 102, who was accompanied by her grandson, are keeping fine,” he said.
Later, Azad listened to a presentation made by Kidwai about implementation of Indian Mission's Haj operation plan. The presentation was also attended by Rao, two high court judges, most of the Indian Central Haj Committee members, minister of Haj from Jammu & Kashmir, and P.K. Basheer MLA from Kerala. Azad said that most important among the problems raised by the pilgrims and during the presentation session was the insufficient number of toilets at their accommodation, he said. “At present, 12 pilgrims are using one toilet and we will examine the matter and consider introducing one toilet for every six pilgrim,” he said. Azad said that steps would be taken to introduce common kitchen system for pilgrims residing in two or more buildings. “I found several women pilgrims wasting their time cooking food at kitchens as if they were at their homes. They are supposed to spend more time worshipping rather than wasting time on food preparation,” he said.
The minister said the authorities would also examine the suggestion to follow the pattern of sending Zamzam water in the case of dispatching dates for pilgrims. “It has come to our notice that it is very difficult for a large number of pilgrims to purchase dates and carry them in their baggage. We will examine making arrangements to make available packets of dates at the airports of their destination when the pilgrims return home,” he said.
