Kanwar Yatra 2021: The subsequent listening to is about for Friday.
New Delhi:
The Supreme Court docket on Wednesday issued discover to the Uttar Pradesh authorities over its determination to permit the Kanwar Yatra from subsequent week regardless of the specter of a spike in COVID-19 instances.
The courtroom, which took up the matter suo motu, mentioned residents have been “perplexed” by the the yatra being permitted at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and medical consultants have warned in opposition to massive gatherings, and urged individuals to comply with social distancing and different Covid protocols.
A discover has additionally been issued to the centre and the Uttarakhand authorities, which has cancelled the yatra in its districts. The subsequent listening to is about for Friday.
“We learn one thing disturbing in The Indian Specific right now… that Uttar Pradesh has chosen to proceed with the Kanwar Yatra whereas Uttarakhand, with hindsight of expertise, has mentioned there will likely be no yatra,” a two-judge bench of Justices RF Nariman and BR Gavai mentioned.
“We want to know the stand of the respective governments. The residents of India are fully perplexed. They have no idea what’s going on. And all this because the PM, when requested in regards to the third wave of Covid, mentioned we can’t compromise even one bit,” the courtroom added.
“We’re issuing discover to the centre, UP and Uttarakhand… and since the yatra is to depart from July 25, we wish them to file early responses and the matter will likely be heard on Friday.”
The yatra was scrapped final 12 months due to the pandemic and lockdown.
Yearly, an estimated 30 million Kanwariyas (Lord Shiva devotees) journey from northern states (File)
On Tuesday, the UP government said the yatra could take place from July 25 with a “minimal variety of individuals”, and with “strict implementation of COVID-19 protocol”. Unfavourable RT-PCR exams may very well be made obligatory, if required, a state official was quoted by information company PTI.
Hours later, Uttarakhand went the opposite manner, and cancelled the yatra; Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami mentioned “even the gods will not want people to die” as he introduced his determination.
“We… have mentioned this loads; spoke to authorities and officers in neighbouring states… conclusion was that… we do not need to flip Haridwar right into a centre of the pandemic,” he mentioned.
This was a day after the Indian Medical Association’s state chapter wrote to the Chief Minister, and reminded him that failure to comply with guidelines had triggered the devastating second wave.
The Uttarakhand authorities confronted large criticism earlier this 12 months over its insistence on holding the Maha Kumbh in Haridwar, which consultants say contributed to a spike in COVID-19 instances; fewer than 300 instances have been reported on April 1, however that jumped to over 5,500 by mid-Might.
The outrage led to an appeal by the Prime Minister mid-way by means of the (shortened) one-month competition. PM Modi requested that the mela “ought to now solely be symbolic amid the coronavirus disaster”.
Final month it emerged that over one lakh fake Covid tests had reportedly been conducted forward of the Kumbh Mela. Unfavourable take a look at outcomes have been required of collaborating devotees, per a Excessive Court docket order.
Yesterday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a powerful warning to individuals to comply with Covid protocols with a view to chase away, or a minimum of minimise, the impression of a 3rd wave.
“… today I will say very emphatically that it is not okay to have huge crowds…,” he mentioned.
“… we convey it (the virus) with us once we disobey the principles. Consultants are warning us repeatedly that careless behaviour – like overcrowding – will result in a rise in Covid instances,” he mentioned.
The PM’s warning got here after current photographs from hill stations confirmed massive crowds violating Covid protocols and gathering in public areas and purchasing centres.
Yearly, an estimated 30 million Kanwariyas (devotees of Lord Shiva) from numerous northern states collect to gather water from the Ganga at Haridwar to supply to Shiva temples of their areas.
The fortnight-long yatra sees devotees from UP, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, and Himachal Pradesh.
With enter from PTI
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