Haridwar: With the devotees flouting Covid-19 traces throughout ‘shahi snan’ on the Har Ki Pauri ghat in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar the place Kumbh Mela is being noticed, over 1,000 individuals have examined constructive for the virus.
This got here as hundreds of saffron-clad seers and ash-smeared Nagas have been seen with out carrying masks and never sustaining social distancing as they gathered on the Har Ki Pauri ghat for a holy dip within the Ganga in the course of the ‘shahi snan’ regardless of a brand new wave of coronavirus infections sweeping throughout the nation.
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According to officers, the virus was detected in over 1,000 individuals in simply 48 hours in Haridwar the place round 35 lakh individuals gathered for the Kumbh Mela.
“Our faith is the biggest thing for us. It is because of that strong belief that so many people have come here to take a dip in Ganga,” AFP quoted Siddharth Chakrapani, a member of one of many Kumbh Mela organising committees, as saying.
“They believe that Maa (mother) Ganga will save them from this pandemic,” he added.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat had on Tuesday appealed to the individuals to comply with Covid-19 pointers, like carrying masks, sustaining social distancing and sanitising fingers in the course of the third ‘shahi snan’.
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In regular circumstances, Kumbh continues for almost 4 months however the period of the congregation has been curtailed to at least one month this yr because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, over 20,000 Covid-19 instances have been reported in Uttar Pradesh within the final 24 hours, taking the state’s tally to 1,11,835.
