By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 29 Apr: The state government has decided to postpone the Chardham Yatra in view of the surging outbreak of the Covid pandemic in the state.
Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat announced, today, that although the portals of Char Dham shrines would open at the scheduled time, there would be no Chardham Yatra for the time being. He added that the shrines of the Dham would open on schedule but only the priests would offer regular Puja, while the Chardham Yatra would remain suspended in the interest of the pilgrims’ safety. The question that arises is whether the government could not also have ensured early termination of Kumbh due to the same reason.
In an informal conversation with journalists at the Chief Minister’s Camp Office in Garhi Cantt, Chief Minister Rawat said that the Chardham Yatra had been postponed but all the teerth purohits (designated priests) would be permitted to undertake pilgrimage and offer regular prayers at the Char Dham shrines. Pilgrims would not be allowed to visit the temples this season. Not only this, local residents of the Char Dham sites would also not be permitted to visit the temples.
The Chief Minister said that, at present, Corona cases were increasing in the entire country. In Uttarakhand, too, the cases of Covid are continuously increasing. He claimed that the government is fully alert to the situation and understands clearly that safety of the people is the topmost priority. The government is making every effort possible towards controlling the pandemic and ensuring treatment of Covid patients.
