Summary:
Lucknow, Jul 10 (PTI) The Uttar Pradesh government is taking measures to prohibit sale of meat in the open along the routes fixed for Kanwar Yatra, which will take place after a gap of two years.
The local, district and police administration are reaching out to meat traders to ensure this, officials said.
Elaborate arrangements are being made for Kanwar Yatra which is set to begin from July 14.
It will continue for a fortnight.
The yatra was not held in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
"Kanwariyas", devotees of Lord Shiva, travel to the banks of the river Ganga to fetch water which they carry to offer in temples at their homes or localities.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, at a recent meeting, directed officials to clear the roads taken by the Kanwar yatris and to prohibit sale of meat in the open along them, besides making arrangements for lighting, sanitation and first-aid.
Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Awanish Awasthi said, "All efforts are being made to ensure that Kanwar Yatra is held in a safe and peaceful manner across the state while adhering to the directions given by the chief minister." Senior Superintendent of Police, Bareilly, Satyarth Aniruddha Pankaj said, "We have reached out to meat traders and asked them to ensure that no sale of meat takes place in the open.
The traders have assured us of the same." Superintendent of Police, Bijnor, Dinesh Singh said he has also made similar appeals to meat traders who have assured that no sale of meat will take place along the route taken by the Kanwariyas.
District officials across the state have started the work to repair the roads demarcated for the Kanwar Yatra.
Surendra Singh, divisional commissioner of Meerut, which sees the maximum movement of Kanwars, said, "I held a meeting with district magistrates of all districts of the division recently.
The work to make arrangements for Kanwar yatra is in full swing." "The officials are ironing out minor details, including arrangements for proper sanitation along the route, security arrangements and installation of CCTV cameras at important places," he added.
On the direction of the chief minister, district officials are planning to set up medical camps along the routes.
"Since the yatra did not take place in the last two years, we are expecting an increase in the number of Kanwar Yatris this time.
Officials have been asked to keep this thing in mind while making arrangements," Singh said.
"We have also asked business establishments and eateries along the routes to put up their menu with a rate list prominently to avoid any arguments with Kanwar Yatris over prices," the officer said.
According to administrative officials, lakhs of devotees pass through Saharanpur, Shamli, Meerut, Ghaziabad and Baghpat districts of western Uttar Pradesh to reach Haridwar in Uttarakhand.
Kanwariyas from Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, western Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan take National Highway 58 to reach Uttarakhand.