NGT orders to be followed during Kanwar yatra: DM

HARIDWAR: The mela administration has said the directives and restrictions imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) will be adhered to during the Kanwar yatra when millions of Lord Shiva devotees, called Kanwariyas, arrive in Haridwar to fetch holy Ganga jal.

Tribune News Service

Haridwar, July 9

The mela administration has said the directives and restrictions imposed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) will be adhered to during the Kanwar yatra when millions of Lord Shiva devotees, called Kanwariyas, arrive in Haridwar to fetch holy Ganga jal.

District Magistrate and Kanwar mela administration in charge Harbans Singh Chug chaired a meeting with traders at Mela Bhavan here today. He said the administration, the police and the Municipal Corporation would ensure that Kanwariyas follow the NGT directives so that the Ganga and its ghats remain free from pollution during the Kanwar yatra.

Chief Development Officer Sonika said a mass awareness drive would be launched and cooperation of Kanwariyas, traders, NGOs, religious organisations and local people would be sought to ensure the yatra completes without causing pollution in the Ganga and at its ghats.

A provision of basic amenities such as health, water, power, roads, sanitation, cleanliness and parking was also discussed. Chug gave necessary orders to government departments and nodal agencies in this regard.

Special squads of the Food and Supplies Department would be formed and these would make surprise checks at eateries, dhabas, restaurants and hotels to ensure fresh and uncontaminated food is served during the Kanwar yatra.

SIDCUL firms were urged to voluntarily provide water, biscuits, solar lights and other facilities to police and mela personnel and volunteers deployed on the Kanwar duty.

Additional District Magistrate (Administration) Jeevan Singh Nangiyal, ADM (Finance) Abhisekh Tripathi, chief medical officer Veerendra Jangpangi, City Magistrate Jai Bharat Singh, Town Commissioner Vipra Trivedi, SDM Pratyush Singh, Roorkee SDM Gopal Singh Chauhan, SIDCUL Association president Harendra Garg, Ganga Sabha president Purushottam Sharma, general secretary Ram Kumar Mishra, Indian Red Cross Society secretary Dr Naresh Chaudhari, SIDCUL Manufacturers’ Association general secretary Raj Arora, traders’ representative Sunil Sethi, Manish Chandra and Sanjeev Chaudhari attended the meeting.