Friday, 14 July 2023 | PNS | DEHRADUN
Anticipating a substantial increase in the number of people undertaking the Kanwad Yatra in Haridwar by Shivaratri, the Police Headquarters has issued an order to deploy 50 additional police personnel. The local police have also been directed to gear up their security arrangements. Despite heavy rainfall and severe waterlogging, the number of Kanwadiyas visiting Haridwar continues to increase.
The Kanwad Yatra started in the State on July 3 and since then, over 2.6 crore pilgrims have arrived in the State, said the additional director general (ADG) of police, V Murugesan. He said that Daat Kanwad has started and the Shivratri is on July 15 which makes Friday and Saturday quite important days in terms of safety arrangements. “The Kanwadiyas consider the day of Shivratri quite important and their numbers usually rise around this time every year. I have directed the deployment of 50 additional police personnel including some senior officers from Dehradun in Haridwar district for proper implementation and supervision of security arrangements as pilgrims’ footfall is expected to increase significantly during these two days.
Besides this, the district police have also been directed to make proper arrangements there amid the heavy rainfall,” said Murugesan. On whether additional police force has been sent to Haridwar in view of severe waterlogging and rivers flowing close to the danger mark affecting normal life there, ADG said that there is no need for it so far as sufficient force is already present to tackle disaster-related issues. He said, “Our teams of National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) and State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) are on high alert mode.
Besides this, the Flood Relief Company of SDRF is also active there which is formed especially to tackle such situations. The police are aware of the vulnerability of the situation there and in other affected districts. Officials concerned are on high alert mode to tackle such situations.” Besides this, Murugesan also informed that police are also actively working to resume traffic movement on blocked roads leading to Char Dham shrines while ensuring that the pilgrims undergo minimum inconvenience. “Traffic on several routes is being restricted and resumed several times a day due to blocked roads and inclement weather conditions. I appeal to the pilgrims to listen to local authorities and not attempt to cross restricted roads by endangering their life. I appeal to them to plan their journey as per the weather,” added ADG.
