Preparations begin for annual Kanwar Yatra in UP

The Uttar Pradesh government has started making preparations for the annual Kanwar Yatra that is scheduled to begin from July 14 to August 12.

According to official sources, special arrangement to ensure cleanliness, hygiene and power supply along the routes of the yatra are being made. Besides, provision of clean drinking water, toilets,

The Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage of devotees of Lord Shiva, known as 'Kanwariyas', to Shiva temples.

The devotees pick up the water of Ganga River from Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand and carry it across hundreds of miles as offerings in their local Shiva temples.

District Magistrate of Meerut, Deepak Meena said that he has prepared a special plan to keep the programmes from Kanwar Yatra to 'Jalabhishek' at various temples plastic-free.

He said that special steps will be taken to make the entire programme plastic free.

The official said that after identifying sensitive places, it will be ensured that CCTV cameras are installed at all the places in urban and rural areas.

After observing the camps' set up in the previous years on all the urban and rural routes, permission will be given to organise the food camps under the conditions.

Meerut SSP Prabhakar Chaudhary said that all the departments concerned are being asked to nominate department wise nodal officers and the civil and police officials concerned should visit the routes properly and ensure action by meeting at the local level.

Owners of hotels and dhabas on the routes of Kanwar Yatra, will be asked to put up the rate list of food at the designated place at each dhaba.