"Our top priority is pilgrims' safety": Uttarakhand CM Dhami on Char Dham, Kanwar Yatra
Dehradun, August 7
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday said that the Char Dham Yatra is being stopped intermittently, keeping in mind the safety of pilgrims as the state continues to face heavy rainfall and landslides.
"It has been raining in many places for the last 2-3 days. Rainfall has been reported in Dehradun, Uttarkashi, Rudraprayag, and Chamoli. The water level is also rising, and landslides have occurred in some places. In view of this, the Yatra has to be stopped intermittently depending on the situation. Our top priority is the safety of our pilgrims," CM Dhami told reporters.
He further said the state administration is conducting the Kanwar Yatra smoothly.
"The Kanwar Yatra is also going on, and all necessary arrangements have been made for it," Dhami added.
Executive Engineer of the Irrigation Department, Vikas Tyagi, said the current water level of the Ganges at Haridwar is above the warning level but has not yet reached the danger mark.
"Since water levels upstream continue to rise, the volume of water may increase further. However, there is no cause for alarm at the moment, as the situation is completely under control," he said.
Emphasising that the government is fully prepared to handle any situation, he said information is being regularly shared with the downstream plains.
"Separate flood management divisions and nodal officers have been designated, and every district has its own disaster management system. The government is fully prepared to handle any situation that may arise," he said.
— ANI
Reader Comments
I appreciate the CM's concern, but why wasn't this planned better? Every year during monsoon there are landslides in Uttarakhand. The authorities should have informed pilgrims in advance about the weather situation before they started their yatra. Many elderly people have already spent their savings to reach there. Still, safety first, I guess. 🙏
As someone who did the Char Dham Yatra last year, I know how unpredictable mountain weather can be. Glad to see the state has designated nodal officers and separate flood management divisions. Please ensure the pilgrims waiting at stop points have proper shelter and food arrangements too. That's when we'll truly know the system is prepared. Jai Ganga Maiyya! 🌊
Good decision by CM Dhami ji. Uttarakhand is going through tough times with these rains, and prioritising pilgrims' safety shows good governance. But I hope they are also keeping an eye on the Kanwar Yatra and other local pilgrims who may be at risk. The water level at Haridwar is above warning level - let's pray it doesn't cross the danger mark. 🙏
It's reassuring to see a state government being so transparent about the situation. The executive engineer's statement about regularly sharing information with downstream plains is particularly thoughtful. As a foreign resident who has immense respect for Indian spirituality, I hope the pilgrimage can resume soon once conditions improve. God bless all the pilgrims. 🙏
Honestly, the system seems much more prepared now compared to the 2013 Kedarnath floods. Having
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