After Kumbh controversy, Uttarakhand scraps Kanwar Yatra

Uttarakhand had earlier suspended the Char Dham Yatra after the excessive courtroom stayed for 4 weeks the choice to permit residents of three districts to conduct the pilgrimage. (Photograph Courtesy: Indian Specific)

The Uttarakhand authorities has scrapped the annual Kanwar Yatra within the state after coming in for extreme criticism for internet hosting over 36 lakh folks throughout the Kumbh Mela simply earlier than the second COVID-19 wave hit the nation. Police authorities within the state appealed to their counterparts in neighbouring states to ask devotees to not go to Haridwar this month to gather water from the Ganga for the annual pilgrimage. The yatra was scrapped final 12 months as effectively on account of COVID-related restrictions.

The enchantment was issued throughout a gathering of the inter-state coordination committee on the yatra, chaired by DGP Ashok Kumar. Law enforcement officials from Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Delhi had been current on the assembly. DGP Kumar stated the Uttarakhand police would guide these discovered coming into Haridwar below the Catastrophe Administration Act and the Epidemic Ailments Act, and place them below quarantine. The Uttarakhand police additionally advised that devotees coordinate with the police on the station degree to ship tankers and accumulate water from the Ganga. The state’s city improvement division has already issued an order prohibiting Kanwar Yatra this 12 months.

Based on an Indian Specific report, almost 3.5 crore devotees, or kanwariyas, visited Haridwar in 2019. In 2018, that determine stood at 2.8 crore. Officers stated many of the kanwariyas had been from western Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, adopted by these from Rajasthan and Delhi.

The state authorities had earlier suspended the Char Dham Yatra. This adopted Uttarakhand Excessive Courtroom staying for 4 weeks the choice to permit residents of three districts to conduct the pilgrimage from July 1.

Based on knowledge from the state’s well being division, when the Kumbh formally began on April 1, Haridwar had 626 energetic circumstances. On April 30, when the mela formally concluded, the quantity rocketed to 11,075 within the district. It reported at the least 17,226 new circumstances and 90 deaths between April 1 and 30.

Uttarakhand has not too long ago been mired in political turbulence with Trivendra Singh Rawat being changed as chief minister by Tirath Singh Rawat, who himself made approach for Pushkar Singh Dhami final week.