The police in Haridwar have asked people not to reach Kanwar Yatra in Uttarakhand. As a consequence of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the state government is already suspending its religious pilgrimage on July 25.
On a note, the police said all Haridwar district entry and exit points were sealed and Kanwar Yatra is not authorised.
It also stated that people from other countries who come to Haridwar have to be obligatory in institutional quarantine for 14 days. “Vehicle of anyone attempting to enter the district will be seized and action taken under Disaster Management Act,” the police notice further said.
The administration of Uttarakhand decided on Tuesday to suspend the Kanwar Yatra. In Shravan’s month, he finds lakhs of devotees who take the waters of the Ganga and offer them to Lord Shiva. They take a hard religious trek to Haridwar.
“We discussed with higher officials and with officials from neighbouring states and decided that we will not hold Kanwar Yatra at this time. A variant has been found in Gadarpur so we don’t want to make Haridwar the centre of Covid,” chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said.
Uttarakhand minister Subodh Uniyal said on Wednesday that faith in religion doesn’t mean we can play with lives. “The IMA (INdian Medical Association) has warned of a third wave. Even the prime minister had expressed concern over it. The decision to cancel Kanwar Yatra has been taken in larger public interest,” said Uniyal, who is also the state government’s official spokesman.
Meanwhile, the neighbour Uttar Pradesh stated that the pilgrimage would take place, gave the Supreme Court a frown that took suo motu’s acknowledgment of the problem and notified the Center and the UP government. The High Court sought answers and on Friday posted the case.
