News Analysis India

Tag: Uttarakhand

  • Mahakumbh: Niranjani Akhada says close Kumbh, apex body yet to decide

    Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: With Mahakumbh termed as a ‘Super Spreader’ of Covid-19, Shri Panchayati Niranjani Akhada, one of the 13 prime akhadas, on Thursday announced the conclusion of the mega event on April 17. 

    However, the final decision will be taken by the apex body of the 13 akhadas — Akhada Parishad. 

    Ravindra Puri Maharaj, secretary of the Niranjani Akhada said, “Given the Covid pandemic situation in Haridwar and many seers testing positive, we have decided to end of the Kumbh Mela. With the Shahi Snan of April 27, a few seers will complete the ritual. 

    “However, the final decision to end the Mahakumbh is to be taken by Akhada Parishad and we have requested the same.”

    The mega event, which has already been curbed to one month from four months, raised eyebrows worldwide given the spike in Covid cases in India.

    As many as 2,269 cases were detected in the mela area in five days (from April 10 to 15). 

    ALSO READ | Mahakumbh: Scores flout Covid norms as 35 lakh assemble in Haridwar for Shahi Snan

    With a positivity rate of around 2%, 102 cases were detected on April 15, 525 cases were detected on April 14, 594 on April 13, 408 on April 12, 386 on April 11, and 254 on April 10 in the mela area of ongoing Mahakumbh.

    Arjun Sengar, medical in-charge of the meal area said, “We are conducting Covid tests at 100 points which include antigen and RT-PCR tests. More than 1 lakh tests have been conducted in the mela area between April 10 and April 15.”

    Over 50 lakh pilgrims are said to attend the mega religious event.

    Total 18 seers/saints from different religious akhadas have also tested positive to date. One Swami Kapil Devdas, Mahamandaleshwar of Nirvani Akahada died of Covid in a private hospital on April 13. 

    Officials from the state health department said the majority of seers/saints are not in favor of getting tested making it a difficult task.

    The hill state saw 2,220 Covid cases on Thursday. Out of these, the maximum cases were detected in Dehradun district (914) followed by Haridwar (613) and Nainital (156). Nine persons died of Covid in the state on the day. 

  • Uttarakhand releases COVID safety guidelines, prohibits gathering with more than 200 people amid rising cases

    By Express News Service
    Dehradun: Uttarakhand on Thursday evening released new Covid safety guidelines amid rising cases in the state.

    The guidelines released by Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand Om Prakash effective from April 16-30 prohibited public gathering of more than 200 people including in weddings across the state. 

    “The guidelines have been implemented with immediate effect to ensure safety of the people of the state amid rising number of Covid 19 cases. With aggressive testing, precautions and vaccination in place we will come of this pandemic soon,” said Om Prakash, the CS of the hill state. 

    All public transport, cinema halls, gymnasiums, restaurants will be functioning with 50% capacity while spas, swimming pools and coaching institutes have been shut down till April 30. 

    The night curfew will be in place from 10.30 pm to 5 am in the morning.

    The guidelines also include strict adherence to Covid safe behaviour including wearing of masks and using sanitizer frequently to avoid the viral infection. 

    Legal action will be taken against violators of the safety norms under Disaster Management Act 2005 and Epidemic Diseases Act 1897, stated the guidelines.

  • As Covid super spreader threat looms large, crowd falls by one-third on occasion of third Shahi Snan

    By Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: With over 13.51 lakh pilgrims taking a holy bath in river Ganga on the occasion of the third Shahi Snan (Royal Bath) on Wednesday, the numbers were cut down to almost one-third of what congregated on April 12 in the second royal bath.

    However, Covid safety norms yet again went for a toss in the mega religious event.

    On April 12, over 35 pilgrims devotees gathered in Haridwar for bathing in the river Ganga. Coveted as the biggest and most auspicious of the Shahi Snans, it commenced around 5 am and concluded at 6 pm with estimated gatherings of more than 30 lakh people in Haridwar Mahakumbh 2021. 

    Sanjay Gunjyal, inspector general, Kumbh said, “All arrangements are in place to ensure smooth course of events without any hassle. We are making sure that no gathering, jam, or stampedes occur in the mela area and around it.”

    Fears of the mega event becoming a super spreader are being realized now, said experts. 

    Anoop Nautiyal from Social Development for Communities which has been analysing Covid data since March 2020 said, “The data shows that Haridwar remains one of the worst affected districts. Millions have visited the city across the country and still are. There is no doubt now that unfortunately, the event has contributed to the pandemic.”

    Haridwar remains one of the worst affected districts by the pandemic. 

    Similar to last Shahi Snan on April 12, no Covid appropriate behaviour was adhered to as thousands gathered on Ganga ghats to take a holy dip in the river.

    According to estimates, by 7 am, over 7 lakh people have taken a dip in ghats on the Ganges in the mela area. 

    Meanwhile, a statement of Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat is going viral in which he says Covid does not affect much in open spaces comparing Markaz gathering of last year to ongoing Mahakumbh.

    “You cannot compare Markaz gatherings with Mahakumbh. The Markaz happened in a confined space while the Kumbh is being organized in open space,” the CM can be heard saying in a video. 

    Uttarakhand witnessed all-time high cases on Wednesday with 1,953 new cases of COVID-19. Out of these, maximum cases were reported with 796 cases followed by Haridwar (525) and Nainital with total 205 new Covid cases. 

    With 13 deaths on Wednesday, the recovery rate fell to 87.16% and sample positivity of 3.59%.

  • Mahakumbh: Scores flout Covid norms as 35 lakh assemble in Haridwar for Shahi Snan 

    Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: No Covid norms were adhered to in Haridwar on Monday on the occasion of Shahi Snan (Royal Bath) on Somvati Amavasya which is considered auspicious in Hindu religion. 

    Senior police officials said that penalizing is not possible as it could create a stampede. 

    Kumbh Mela IG Sanjay Gunjyal said, “We are unlikely to take strict action due to the huge gathering. A stampede-like situation can occur if we try to apply force.”

    The officials also said that they are not able to implement any Covid rules by force.

    Earlier, the ritual bath began as early as 4.30 am and ghats were close for general public at 7 am. By then, seers, priests and saints from the 13 akhadas were to take their traditional, ritual baths.

    At least 35 lakh people took a dip in the Holy Ganges in Haridwar along with all 13 akhadas. 

    The fears of the mega religious event becoming a super spreader could come true as pilgrims from across the country in lakhs are visiting the city without adhering to Covid rules, says experts. 

    Anoop Nautiyal from social development firm ‘Communities Foundation’ said, “The pictures and videos of the Mahakumbh say it all. Our fears of this event becoming a super spreader will now be realized when pilgrims return to different parts of the country, probably with Covid infection.”

    Meanwhile, Uttarakhand Chief Minister said that Mahakumbh 2021 cannot be compared with last year’s ‘Markaz’ gatherings. He asserted that arrangements are in place to check the spread of Covid during the mega event. 

    “The Markaz event last year was in a confined building while the Kumbh is spread in large open area of the holy city of Haridwar. We have also ensured that Covid norms are being followed. Our health infrastructure in Haridwar and elsewhere in the state is equipped to deal with it, ” said the CM.

    Voices from various quarters have compared the event with the controversial ‘Tabhligi Jamaat’ event of last year.

  • Covid vaccination drive sees 70 per cent decline as jab supply takes a hit in Uttarakhand

    Express News Service
    Dehradun: The COVID-19 vaccination process in Uttarakhand suffered over 70 per cent decline in last four days with numbers dwindling from over 1 lakh per day to less than 30,000 people getting the jab in one day. 

    The data released by the state health department suggested steep fall in number of people getting vaccinated after Friday. 

    On Thursday, in total 718 sessions across the state, 1,07,658 people were vaccinated while on Friday number of sessions fell to 697 with 60,841 people getting vaccinated.

    On Saturday, the number of session came down to 519 with 45,684 people getting vaccine doses and the number of people getting vaccines went down to 26,719 with only 300 sessions across the state. 

    Meanwhile, the state got 1.38 lakh doses of COVID-19 vaccine on Sunday, said health department officials. However, the state government has requested 10 lakh doses from the centre

    JC Pande, nodal officer, medical health and family welfare of Uttarakhand said, “Total 1.38 lakh does of Covishield vaccine have arrived and vaccination drive will go smooth in state from Monday. The vaccines have been already dispatched to all 13 districts.”

    ALSO READ: COVID appropriate behaviour not being followed in 50 most-affected districts in 3 states, says Government

    The state is vaccinating over 1 lakh people everyday and officials said they have vaccines only for next three days now. Overall, 178 vaccination centers across the state had to stop the drive  due to unavailability of the doses. 

    Till dated, out of the total 11,24,056 vaccinated people, 18,1150 have been vaccinated with both the doses. 

    The hill state registered highest number of cases in one day this year with 1,333 new cases on Sunday.

    The weekly data indicates that Covid cases have reached 2020 levels with active cases reaching 7323 across the state.

    According to the data of week 56 (April 4-10), since the inception of Covid in Uttarakhand on March 15, 2020, the state conducted highest ever tests in one week- 239522. 

    Anoop Nautiyal, whose Social Development for Communities Foundation has been analysing the Covid data since March 2020 says, “The center, the state and the people need to take radical decisions in terms of behaviour, management and resourcesfuless. The center must ensure enough doses of vaccine, the states must check the spread and people must be adhere to Covid appropriate behaviour.”

  • Uttarakhand puts on hold Gairsain status

    Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand Cabinet on Friday decided to put the commissionerate status of Gairsain ‘on hold’.

    Subodh Uniyal, cabinet minister and government spokesperson, said: “The decision to accord commissionerate status to Gairsain has been put on hold for now. Further decision will be taken keeping in mind public sentiments.”

    Sources indicated this means not implementing the decision. Last month, Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat had said the decision was ‘under consideration’.

    The hilltown was accorded the status by the state government led by former CM Trivendra Singh Rawat in March, 2021. The decision is said to be one of factors leading to his removal as CM.

    The new division was carved with the districts of Chamoli, Rudraprayag, Bageshwar and Almora along with a senior IAS officer as commissioner and senior IP S as DIG of police like other two divisions of the state Kumaon and Garhwal.

    Last month, Rekha Arya, a cabinet minister, had said that inclusion of Almora in Gairsain commissionary was not a ‘practical’ decision. Sources in government said that adding Almora in the newlyformed Gairsain commissionary acted a big catalyst in his removal.

  • ‘Drunk’ man enters temple in Uttrakhand, gets lynched

    By Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: Police have registered a case against unidentified people after a 29-year-old man was allegedly lynched for entering a temple in Uttarakhand’s Rudrapur in a drunken state.

    DS Kunwar, senior SP, Udham Singh Nagar district, said, “We are going through the CCTV footage to identify the accused. The incident happened on Tuesday afternoon. The case has been registered against unidentified people under section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code.”

    The man, identified as Johnny Sagar, died shortly after being thrashed by the mob. The police officials said the accused was left on the road writhing in pain for over three hours. A few passersby took him to a hospital where the doctors declared him dead.

    “Information is being sought by tracking and talking to people who were present in the temple premises that day. Soon, we will identify and arrest those responsible,” said the SSP.

    Meanwhile, activists and members of civil society condemned the incident.

    Shekhar Pathak, a Padam Awardee activist from Nainital, comment on the issue said, “The investigation in the matter is on but if it is the process that he was lynched, this is a dangerous precedent we are establishing in the society. If anyone enters temple drink, there is a punishment by law but one should not be killed this way.”

  • Covid concerns likely to halt Kailash Mansarovar yatra this year too

    Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: The annual Kailash Mansarovar yatra may get cancelled this year too.

    Officials from Kumaon Mandal Vikas Nigam (KMVN), the nodal agency for the annual pilgrimage in Uttrakhand, said so far, no preparatory meetings have been held by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

    Ashok Joshi, the general manager of the KMVN said, “We are witnessing Covid surge again in the country. There are high chances that the yatra will be cancelled again.” 

    The first few meetings were convened by the MEA in Delhi followed by a meeting in Pithoragarh attended by the representatives from the KMVN, the district administration, and the ITBP.  

    However, no updates have been received regarding the yatra leading to speculations that it might be cancelled for the second year in a row. Last year, the yatra had been cancelled due to the pandemic. 

    The yatra commences every year from June and concludes in September. It is managed by the KMVN with the help of the ITBP and the local administration.

  • Non-government functionaries appointed during Trivendra Singh Rawat’s tenure removed from their posts

    By PTI
    DEHRADUN: All non-government functionaries appointed president, vice president and advisor of different commissions, corporations, councils and committees in Uttarakhand during Trivendra Singh Rawat’s chief ministership were on Friday removed from their posts.

    An order issued by Chief Secretary Om Prakash said all the non-government functionaries appointed to such posts from March 18, 2017, till date are relieved of their duties with immediate effect.

    However, the order leaves out of its ambit people who were appointed during the period to a constitutional post for a fixed tenure.

    Over 100 people were appointed president, vice president and advisor of different commissions, corporations, councils and committees in the state, besides being given ministerial ranks during the chief ministership of Rawat, who resigned on March 9.

  • Mahakumbh 2021 begins in Haridwar with Covid guidelines

    Express News Service
    DEHRADUN: Mahakumbh 2021 officially started on Thursday. The religious congregation, which occurs once every 12 years, will conclude on April 30. 

    Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat, while interacting with media through video conferencing, said, “Every arrangement is in place to make the Mahakumbh as grand as possible as well as safe for pilgrims. The infrastructure, crowd management, health, and other issues were kept in mind while planning for the event.”

    The government has spent Rs 700 crore for the facilities, officials said.

    The mela area has 11,700 toilets, 6,674 urinals, 157.65 kilometres of roads, a 159-bed hospital with requisite medical staff and various other arrangements including a surveillance system.

    In all, 38 temporary hospitals, 200 doctors and 1,500 paramedical staff have also been on the job in the mela area, said officials. 

    The Centre on Thursday allocated an additional amount of Rs 325 crore for the event to cover the shortcomings in terms of infrastructure and other things. 

    More than 12,000 police and 400 personnel of the central forces have been already deployed, the numbers of which will be increased before April 14 given the biggest Shahi Snan (Royal Bath).

    On April 14, which is also the day of the Baisakhi festival, the estimates suggest that over 1 crore devotees may visit Haridwar. Officials also added that over 2 crore devotees can visit Haridwar between April 11-14. 

    ALSO READ | COVID-19: Uttarakhand makes RT-PCR test report mandatory for people arriving from 12 states

    State DGP Ashok Kumar said: “We have made all necessary arrangements for successful and safe Mahakumbh. I will be camping at the Mela area from April 11-14.”

    During the Mahakumbh, the first royal bath events will be on April 12 (Somwati Amavasya), April 14 (Baisakhi Kumbh snan) and April 27 (Chaitra Purnima). 

    The new CM has made the Mahakumbh his priority. His first order as the CM was to shower flowers on the occasion of Shahi Snan (Royal Bath) on Mahashivratri on March 11. 

    Total 13 Akhadas are participating in Mahakumbh. Over 12 crore pilgrims are expected to participate in the event which spans over months. More than 100 drones will be monitoring the congregation round the clock along with 1,500 CCTVs. 

    The main attraction of the event will be a helicopter service which will offer ariel view of the religious event at a cost of Rs 4,130. The service is especially for the event from April 1-30. 

    The mela area includes places in Haridwar, Dehradun as well as Tehri district of the hill state.

    The state government has also deployed 500 buses for pilgrims who want to travel to Haridwar from various parts of the country. 

    Earlier this week, in the wake of Mahakumbh the Uttarakhand made it mandatory to carry RT-PCR Covid test report for people travelling to Uttarakhand from the states with a high caseload.

    The advisory released on Tuesday evening which became effective from April 1 stated, “Persons travelling from the states namely; Maharashtra, Kerala, Punjab, Karnataka, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Rajasthan by road, air and train to Uttarakhand are advised to carry negative RT-PCR test report (test done 72 hours prior to the time of arrival in Uttarakhand State).”