Kanwar Yatra 2011

To host Kanwar yatra 2011 peacefully is a real challenge for the administration:

By P.S. Chauhan

Kanwar Mela, the biggest religious gathering in north India, only next to the Kumbh, is giving sleepless nights to the police and the civil officials. The mela, also known as the Kanwar Teerth Yatra, begins on the first day of the month of Savan of the Hindu calendar, which this year falls on July 16. During the mela duration lakhs of saffron clad kanwarias wend their way to Haridwar to take the holy Ganga jal in vessels kept in decorated bamboo structures called 'kanwars'. Last year, nearly 90 lakh kanwarias, mostly from Uttarakhand, western U.P., Delhi, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh, congregated in Haridwar on the holy mission. This year the number of the kanwarias coming to the city is likely to cross the 1 crore mark.

The hosting of the such colossal event has always been a formidable challenge. For the hosting of the Kumbh, the state and the central governments make huge budgetary allocations to create adequate infrastructure and for security arrangements. However, the preparations for the Kanwar Mela are not backed up by such sufficient financial assistance and the district administration has to manage the mega cultural event with its own meagre resources.

"Security of mammoth gatherings of the kanwarias is the foremost concern of the administration," says the SSP, Kewal Khurana. The commissioner of Garhwal division, Ajay Nambyal held a meeting of the top civil and police officials of the adjoining districts of Uttarakhand, western U.P., Delhi, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh to chalk out a strategy for the smooth conduct of the teerth yatra. The officials of all the five states, through which the Kanwar Yatra passes, emphasized on better co-ordination between the different departments and the different states and also on sharing of intelligence inputs to thwart all sorts of violence during the yatra.

Major part of the police force from all the districts of the state is to be requisitioned for the Kanwar Mela. "Besides this, 12 companies of the P.A.C., Rapid Action Force, The bomb disposal squads, units of divers and sniffer dogs are also being deployed in the mela area", says the S.S.P.. Though as yet there is no intelligence input about any terror threat in the Kanwar Mela, the police administration is taking no chance and is fully vigilant that no terrorist, in the garb of a kanwaria, infiltrates in the teerth yatra. For the first time this year CCTV cameras will be installed at 10 sensitive points on the Kanwar route in the district. Also for the first time, the administration is putting in place public address system, as is used in the Kumbh, and loud speakers are being installed at 50 demarcated places on the Kanwar route from Har-Ki-Pauri to Manglaur to flash any necessary information for the public, the kanwarias and the police. For management of the mela, the entire mela area has been divided into 4 super zones, 19 zones and 75 sectors.

The administration has also decided to take the Kanwar yatra along the road on the bank of the Ganga canal upto Muzaffarnagar so that the Haridwar Delhi National highway in this region remains open for the normal traffic for most of the yatra days.

K.L. Shah, the SP city and in-charge of the Kanwar Mela cell says that it has been decided not to allow the kanwarias to fit DJs and high volume music systems in their vehicles and that the kanwarias will also not be allowed to carry sticks, baseballs and bats etc. The administration has also taken steps to ban the sale of narcotics, liquor and non vegetarian foods on the yatra route. The city magistrate, Arvind Pandey told Haridwar Plus that the shopkeepers , the hoteliers and the proprietors of the dhabas have been instructed to display rate list of various commodities to avoid clashes between the business community and the kanwarias. "We have also instructed the hoteliers and the proprietors of the dhabas that all the food items should be neat and clean and their quality should be maintained", said the city magistrate. "To provide primary medical services to the kanwarias primary medical centers are being set up at 19 identified places", says Suresh Aggarwal, the deputy C.M.O. and Kanwar mela incharge for the health services.

This year the kanwarias will not be allowed to go upto Gomukh, the origin of the Ganga, since the 135 km. stretch from Gomukh to Uttarkashi has been declared an eco sensitive zone by the union ministry of forests and environment. The acting district magistrate, Harish Chand Semwal said that their main objective was to ensure a safe & smooth yatra & to provide maximum facilities to the kanwarias with least inconvenience to the locals.

Uttarakhan News Feb. 2011

Clashes at Corbett

The police fired in the air as a group of students from New Delhi clashed with local people at Bijrani gate of Jim Corbett National park at Ramnagar area of Nainital district. The Corbett administration also slapped a fine of Rs 10,000 on the students of Kanshiram College of Higher Education for violating the norms of the park, official sources said. The incident took place last evening when the students visiting the Corbett park by a jeep got down from the vehicle. Their guide Shailendra Rawat, however, asked them not to do so as it is prohibited in the park. Soon, an altercation erupted between them. It later turned into a scuffle and the students beat up Rawat. As the news spread, the police reached the spot and tried to take the students outside the park. Meanwhile, a large number of people also gathered at the gate of the Corbett park and beat up the students. When the police intervened, the mob also tried to snatch their arms. Later, the police fired in the air to disperse the mob. After paying the fine of Rs 10,000, the students left for New Delhi.

Tehri SP transferred

Uttarakhand government has transferred Tehri SP Kewal Khurana after having suspended two circle officers following a CID probe into alleged irregularities in departmental examinations for sub-inspectors in the state. Khurana has been replaced by Rajiv Swaroop as the new SP of Tehri district, police said. Satyavir Singh and Harish Kumar Verma, two COs from Tehri district, were last week transferred after an inquiry report revealed that they allegedly favoured appointment of a few policemen, who had appeared for the departmental examinations. Director General of Police J S Pandey had ordered the CID probe last month following allegations that these officers had tried to favour some policemen. The probe was headed by ACP CID Vimla Gunjyal.

Nishank defers yatra

State Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank postponed his awareness drive to highlight development works of his government ahead of the upcoming assembly election in the state. Nishank had deferred his "Vikas Yatra" in view of the ongoing visit of BJP leader Thavar Chandra Gehlot, in-charge of party affairs in Uttarakhand, to Garhwal region, state party spokesman Satish Lakhera told PTI. The yatra would now commence on March eight when the BJP government would complete four years in office, he said. "Since the timing of the two leaders -- Gehlot and Nishank -- was clashing with each other, the yatra of the Chief Minister has been postponed," Lakhera said.

An official release earlier stated Nishank would embark on the "Vikas Yatra" from Champawat on February 20. Despite postponement of the yatra, Nishank flew to Champawat and reviewed various developmental schemes and intracted with locals.

Vikas Yatra under criticism

Hitting out at the ruling BJP in Uttarakhand for its plan to take out a rally highlighting developmental measures taken by it in the state, Opposition Congress said it is a move to misguide people. "During its rule in the past four years, BJP has done nothing except indulging in corruption, scams and scandals. Now, they have planned to undertake 'Vikas Yatra' from February 20 to misguide people ahead of the Assembly polls, due in 2012," leader of the Opposition Harak Singh Rawat told reporters here. Rawat alleged the BJP government has failed to bring out any new developmental or welfare schemes. They have not been able to even implement the schemes introduced by the previous Congress government.

Seven injured

Seven people, including two women, were injured today in a post-election clash between two groups in the Sohanpurgarh village of Haridwar district, police said. Following enmity over the district panchayat elections held yesterday, two groups clashed with each other in which incidence of firing was also reported, police said. The injured were admitted to a government hospital.

Financial support to ailing journalist

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank has announced financial aid of Rs 4 lakh to senior journalist and eminent author Sudhir Thapliyal for his treatment, officials said. Terming Thapliyal, author of the famous book 'Mansuri Macabre', as a legend of Indian journalism, the Chief Minister praised Thapliyal for his contribution to his profession, they said.

State bans strike by education officials

Uttarakhand government has banned with immediate effect any strike by employees of the education department. The ban will remain effective for a period of six months, educational secretary Manisha Pawar said here. The order will also be applicable to the school education board.