After Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh cancelled the Kanwar Yatra this year, the Delhi government followed suit and announced the cancellation of Yatra on Sunday. The administration confirmed the decision has been taken in view of the Covid-19 pandemic that continues to persist in the national capital.

While making the announcement, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) said, “The Kanwar Yatra has been banned in Uttarakhand, but despite this, there is a risk of the spread of the virus due to crowding or taking out processions, in view of which this decision has been taken.”

Delhi’s announcement has come a day after the Uttar Pradesh government cancelled the organisation of Kanwar Yatra this year following a Supreme Court order.

The Uttarakhand government has already called off the Kanwar Yatra citing fears expressed by experts of a possible third wave of the pandemic and the risk posed by such gatherings.

It should be noted that the Kanwar Yatra starts in the last week of July and goes on till the first week of August and sees thousands of Shiva devotees called ‘Kanwariyas’ travel on foot from neighbouring states, including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi to collect water from the Ganges in Haridwar.

Uttarakhand govt allows states to take ‘Ganga jal’ in tankers

Yesterday, the Uttarakhand government allowed states to take ‘Ganga jal’ from Haridwar in water tankers days after the state government cancelled the Kanwar Yatra in light of Covid-19.

Additional Chief Secretary Anand Vardhan said that if there is a demand for carrying ‘Ganga jal’ from the states, then the state government will give full cooperation.

“Permission will be given to carry ‘Ganga jal’ from Haridwar through water tankers,” he added.

Meanwhile, Haridwar Police has said that Kanwariyas will not be allowed to enter Haridwar and the border will also be sealed.