Govt assures all help to Hajis

Hyderabad: Deputy Chief Minister Mohammed Mahmood Ali Monday announced that the Haj flights from the Hyderabad Embarkation Point would commence from September 2 and conclude on September 8. Mahmood Ali was speaking at the inauguration of vaccination camp for Haj Pilgrims at the Haj House in Nampally.

• Deputy Chief Minister Mohd Mahmood Ali releases Haj guides in three languages of English, Telugu and Urdu
• Vaccination camp for Haj pilgrims at Haj House till Wednesday

“Telangana State Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao will provide full support to the Haj pilgrims”, he said, adding that in spite of bifurcation of the State, the budget of the Telangana State Haj Committee remained at Rs 2 crore only.

The Deputy Chief Minister further said that Air India was entrusted the task of taking Haj pilgrims and hoped that it would provide better services to the pilgrims. “Making Haj arrangements is the responsibility of the government”, he added.

Mahmood Ali released Haj Guides published in three languages: English, Telugu and Urdu and elaborated the arrangements being made for the smooth Haj operations this year. MLA Jaffer Hussain Meraj advised the pilgrims to obey the rules and regulations of both India and Saudi Arabia in the matter of Haj pilgrimage.

“Haj journey is the most sacred and most important journey in the life of a Muslim”, he said. Syed Omer Jaleel, Secretary, Minorities Welfare Department, advised the pilgrims to take proper care of their health and get vaccinated.

Prof SA Shukoor, Special Officer, Telangana State Haj Committee, said altogether 3,117 pilgrims from Telangana State were selected to perform Haj this year and the Haj Camp would commence from August 31 with hectic schedule of 16 Haj Chartered flights of Air India in seven days.

The Haj Committee made elaborate arrangements for vaccinations and distribution of suit cases to all the pilgrims. He said the Hyderabad Embarkation Point was adjudged as the best in the country last year and assured to make better arrangements this year. Institute of Preventive Medicine Director Dr K Amarender Reddy was present on the occasion.

Medical teams from Princess Esra Hospital, Owaisi Group of Hospitals and Institute of Preventive Medicine administered Anti-Meningitis, seasonal influenza vaccine and oral polio drops to the pilgrims. The Vaccination Camp at the Haj House would continue till Wednesday.The programme commenced with recitation of verses from Quran.