Uttarakhand govt cancels this year's Kanwar Yatra due to Covid

The Uttarakhand government has cancelled this year's Kanwar Yatra due to the Covid pandemic. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Tuesday said that though the Kanwar Yatra is culturally significant, his government's priority remains saving lives amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The Indian Medical Association's Uttarakhand chapter had earlier 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 and the government was widely criticised for going ahead with the religious gathering amid the pandemic.