On Mauni Amavasya, authorities expect a crore people to take a holy bath

Authorities in Uttar Pradesh expect one crore worshippers to take a holy bath in the Ganga and the Sangam here on Mauni Amavasya Monday, despite the coronavirus pandemic.

Mauni Amavasya is a highly important festival of Magh Mela, according to Chief Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra, who evaluated the preparations for the occasion. People from all over the country come here to take a holy bath in the river.

"Tomorrow one crore people are expected to take bath," Mishra said, adding that the accommodations set for devotees were satisfactory. The chief secretary said he had a swim in the Ganga on Sunday and found the river flow and water to be "good."

In terms of the coronavirus pandemic, he indicated that the number of cases in the state is decreasing.

"The rate of infection in the state has come down from 20 percent to 4 percent. As of today, the first dose of vaccine has been given to 99.5 percent of the people in the state while 69 percent of the people have been given the second dose too," he said.

He also said that 65 percent of the children in the age group of 15 to 17 years have also been vaccinated with the first dose. "During my visit here, whoever I asked about the coronavirus vaccine, they told me that have taken both the doses," he said.