Uttar Pradesh government cancels this year's Kanwar Yatra

The Uttar Pradesh government has cancelled this year's Kanwar Yatra amid fear of a possible third wave of coronavirus. The yatra was scheduled to start on the 25th of this month. UP's Additional Chief Secretary (Information) Navneet Sehgal said the Kanwar unions cancelled the annual yatra on appeal of the state government.

This came after the Supreme Court asked the state government to inform it by tomorrow whether it will reconsider its decision to hold a symbolic yatra. The direction from the apex court came after the Uttar Pradesh government told the bench it has decided to hold a symbolic Kanwar Yatra with appropriate COVID-19 restrictions.

Earlier this week, the Uttarakhand government cancelled the Kanwar yatra that sees lakhs of Kanwariyas travel on foot to collect water from the Ganges and bring it back to their villages.