Any decision on allowing the Kanwar Yatra this year will be taken after discussions with neighbouring States, Uttarakhand’s new Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, after weekend consultations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. A senior official in the CM’s office confirmed that he has also held consultations with Yogi Adityanath, his counterpart in Uttar Pradesh.
Among medical officers on the ground in Uttarakhand, however, there is a recognition that allowing the Kanwar Yatra could lead to an increased spread in COVID cases and heightened challenges in managing the pandemic.
Uttarakhand is reviewing its earlier decision to cancel the yatra, following the U.P. government’s announcement that the pilgrimage will begin from July 25, despite concerns that it could become another COVID super spreader event like the Kumbh Mela earlier this year.
The Kanwar yatra is an annual monsoon pilgrimage by crores of devotees of Shiva — largely from the northern States of U.P., Haryana, Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, and Himachal Pradesh — who walk over 100 km to fetch water from the Ganga, mostly at the pilgrimage sites of Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand.
Given the religious sentiments and health concerns involved, the decision on whether to cancel the yatra again has political ramifications, especially given that both U.P. and Uttarakhand are headed to the polls next year. Another major pilgrimage, the Char Dham yatra, has been stayed by the Uttarakhand High Court, an order which the State government is now challenging in the Supreme Court
“Discussed and received [Mr. Modi’s] guidance on the development of the State, possible third wave of Corona, Char Dham Yatra and Kanwar Yatra,” Mr. Dhami tweeted, along with a similar statement regarding his meeting with Mr. Shah. Mr. Dhami also tweeted a link to his interview with the Aaj Tak news channel in which he said, “It is a matter of the faith of millions. However, people's lives should not be threatened. Saving lives is our first priority. God would not like it if people lost their lives to COVID due to the yatra.”
This is also the concern of the medical officers tasked with controlling the pandemic on the ground. “There was complete panic among the people during the second wave, with a shortage of oxygen, ventilators and ICU beds. We are taking steps to ensure all these facilities are there in the event of a third wave. But people must also follow the COVID protocols,” said Ajay Kumar Nagarkar, additional chief medical officer for Haridwar, who initially handled oxygen management in the district’s COVID control room before he himself tested positive near the end of April, along with his entire family.
Any decision regarding the Kanwar Yatra will be taken at the policy and administration level, he insisted. But Dr. Nagarkar admitted that “managing COVID appropriate behaviour for such large crowds will be very challenging”, noting that the perception was that the crowds at the Kumbh had led to an increase in cases.
He added that the COVID care centres and hospitals will have to set up booths to cater to the three crore plus pilgrims expected, apart from the local population.
“Staffing such booths is a challenge with our manpower. Increased testing will be needed, but our testing capacity is limited,” he said, noting that about 3,000 people are currently tested on a random sampling basis at the district’s border points.
Uttarakhand is also facing a shortage of vaccines. “After our vaccine awareness drive, the demand went up, but the supply is not sufficient,” said Dr. Nagarkar, who now handles vaccination in the COVID control room. “If we get 9,000 doses, it is all gone in one day itself,” he said.
Almora’s Chief Medical Officer Savita Hayanki also admitted that there are some dangers involved in allowing large crowds to congregate, but emphasised that a decision on the Kanwar Yatra was a “policy matter” . If the pilgrimage is allowed, she said, it would be crucial to step up testing at the four entry points into the district.
“If it is permitted, it is essential to ensure that COVID-appropriate behaviour is followed,” said Dr. Hayanki, laying out the various measures that her health team has been taking to strengthen paediatric care and training, and oxygen availability in the event of a third wave.
