The Uttarakhand government on Friday decided to open the Char Dham Yatra only for residents of Chamoli, Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi distric...
The Uttarakhand government on Friday decided to open the Char Dham Yatra only for residents of Chamoli, Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi districts, where the Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunotri shrines are located, reported the Hindustan Times.
On June 20, the state government had announced that the pilgrimage will begin from July 1 for residents of the three districts. Negative Covid-19 reports, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (commonly known as RT-PCR) or rapid antigen tests would be mandatory to attend the festival.
Last week, the state administration had decided to open the yatra up to residents of other districts from July 11, according to The New Indian Express.
However, the Uttarakhand High Court, which has repeatedly criticised the state government for not putting in place sufficient Covid-19 restrictions, on Wednesday rebuked the government again for holding the pilgrimage from July 1, according to the Hindustan Times. The court cited the Covid-19 crisis and fears of an upcoming third wave of the pandemic.
“Considering the fact that large gathering invariably leads to a spike in the Covid-19 pandemic, this court is of the firm opinion that a catastrophe like Covid-19 pandemic should not be re-invited by holding and permitting large gathering at religious shrines, and by permitting the Char Dham Yatra by the state government,” the court said while taking up a bunch of...
