
Pilgrimage tour operators hit by rising costs
The Hindu
Haj and Umrah packages have become dearer during pandemic
With COVID-19 putting the squeeze on travel and hospitality sectors for nearly two years now, private operators of Islamic pilgrimage tours in the city are facing a tough season.
As per the Islamic lunar calendar, the annual Haj pilgrimage to the cities of Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia is expected to start in July. Haj is considered to be one of the five basic tenets of Islam and mandatory for Muslims at least once in their lifetime to be undertaken in the month of Dhul Hijjah.

The Centre has rejected reports that the definition of the Aravalli hills was changed to permit large-scale mining, citing a Supreme Court-ordered freeze on new leases. It said a court-approved framework will bring over 90% of the Aravalli region under protected areas and strengthen safeguards against illegal mining. The clarification follows controversy over the “100-metre” criterion used to define hills across states.












