Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has urged that only a minimum number of people should participate in the annual Kanwar Yatrayatra and directed strict implementation of the COVID-19 protocol, an official spokesman said here on Tuesday.
The state government, which has allowed the yatra from July 25 despite concerns raised in various quarters over the risk posed by such events in triggering a possible third wave of the pandemic, said a negative RT-PCR test report can be made compulsory for pilgrims, if required. Every year, tens of thousands of 'Kanwariyas' (devotees of Lord Shiva) from northern states travel on foot or by other means to collect water from River Ganga at Haridwar to offer at Shiva temples in their areas as part of the yatra.
The traditional KanwarYatra will be taken out as per the COVID protocol, the official spokesman said. "The RT-PCR negative report could also be made necessary for the yatra, if required, the spokesman said.
In view of the COVID-19 situation, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed that KanwarSanghs should be requested for the participation of a minimum number of people in the yatra, the spokesman said.
Meanwhile, the Uttarakhand government on Tuesday cancelled the Kanwar Yatra in view of the looming threat of a third wave of COVID-19.
"We decided to cancel the yatra, according topmost priority to human life in view of the threat of a possible third wave, the surfacing of the Delta Plus variant of the virus and its impact across the country and abroad," Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said. The decision was taken after a meeting with senior officials and considering all aspects into account including the opinion of medical experts, he said.
The chief minister also asked Director General of Police Ashok Kumar to coordinate with officials of the neighbouring states and request them to take effective steps to stop the pandemic from spreading.
It is for the second consecutive year that the yatra is not being held due to the pandemic in BJP-ruled Uttarakhand. However, neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, where the saffron party is in power, has allowed the yatra from July 25 with strict adherence to COVID-19 protocols.