Uttarakhand cancels Kanwar Yatra due to Covid

Dehradun, Jul 13 (PTI): Uttarakhand has cancelled this year’s Kanwar Yatra due to the Covid pandemic, news agency ANI reported today. The decision by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami’s government came amid concerns raised over the risk posed by such events in triggering a possible third wave of the pandemic.
The Yatra had been cancelled last year, too, amid the first wave.
“Even the gods will not want people to die. The priority at the moment is saving lives,” Mr Dhami had told reporters in New Delhi on Sunday when asked whether or not the Yatra will be held. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday acknowledged the cultural significance of Kanwar Yatra but reiterated that his government’s priority remains saving lives amid the coronavirus pandemic. “Kanwar is part of the Sanatan culture but saving lives is paramount. Government’s focus is to ensure that COVID does not spread,” Dhami said addressing a meeting of all morchas (wings) of the state BJP here.
Even the Indian Medical Association’s Uttarakhand chapter has written to the Chief Minister requesting him to learn from the “previous failure” and not allow Kanwar Yatra in the interest of the state and the whole country. People had to pay a heavy price for going off guard after the first wave which had led to a stronger and more fatal second wave, IMA Uttarakhand Secretary Amit Khanna said in a letter to Dhami. The Haridwar Kumbh held in April had led to a surge in COVID-19 cases.
Dhami, who met central leaders in Delhi including the Prime Minister to discuss a range of issues, has been saying repeatedly that saving human lives is important.
However, a categorical statement from him on whether or not the Kanwar Yatra will be held this year is still awaited.
The fortnight-long yatra which begins with the onset of the month of Shravan around July 25 and goes on till the first week of August sees crores of Kanwariyas from neighbouring states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi gathering in Haridwar to collect the holy waters of the Ganga.
Dhami also assured his party that the state government will finish all development work taken up within the stipulated time frame and an action plan for this is ready.
The monsoon may cause some interruptions in the work but by August 15 all government orders (GOs) will be out, he said.
State BJP president Madan Kaushik asked all office bearers of the morchas to stay in their areas or blocks for at least 10 days every month. Praising all morchas for their performance during both waves of COVID, he said they had done a commendable job by holding blood donation camps, distributing masks, sanitisers and oxygen cylinders among people, getting them vaccinated and helping them get hospital beds.
Asking them to gear up for the assembly polls scheduled to be held early next year, Kaushik said the party members had to take the message of a young leadership and the slogan of securing 60 plus seats to the people of the state.