After UP and Uttarakhand, Delhi cancels Kanwar Yatra in view of COVID pandemic

Delhi Disaster Management Authority has cancelled the organisation of the Kanwar Yatra in the national capital in view of the COVID pandemic. 

“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,” the order by Delhi Disaster Management Authority said.

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This comes after Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand called off the religious event, scheduled from July 25, amid fears of a possible third wave of the pandemic. 

The yatra usually goes on till the first week of August and sees thousands of Shiva devotees, called ‘kanwariyas’, travelling mostly on foot from neighbouring states, including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi, to collect water from the Ganges in Haridwar in Uttarakhand.

Uttar Pradesh government had decided to go ahead with the yatra following which the Supreme Court  had issued notice to the UP government over its decision, saying that people were “perplexed” by it as it comes at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and medical experts had warned against large gatherings.

On Friday, the centre told the Supreme Court that the states will not be allowed to hold the event this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and arrangements will be made for providing Ganga water by tankers at specified places.  

“This is an age-old custom and considering religious sentiments, states must develop a system to make holy Gangajal available through tankers. States must ensure distribution of Gangajal amongst devotees should follow social distancing, adhering to all protocols,” the Centre said. 

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India is still reeling under the impact of the second wave of COVID that left over one lakh people dead. Authorities are now bracing for the possible third wave, which experts believe is likely to hit the country in the end of August.