Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand Om Prakash has instructed the district magistrate of Haridwar to ensure that all the officials and personnel engaged in the Kumbh duty should be vaccinated against the deadly virus.
The decision was taken at a meeting held on Thursday at the state's secretariat, which was chaired by the chief secretary.
"Risks cannot be taken as people across the country will be attending the Kumbh," Om Prakash said instructing them to take strict action against the officials refusing to get vaccinated.
The chief secretary also informed that as many as 100 doctors and 148 paramedical staffs from will Uttar Pradesh will be reaching the state for their duties at Kumbh on March 15.
Many other officials and district magistrates were present at the meeting.
Kumbh 2021 limited to 30 days
The Uttarakhand government had earlier decided to limit the Kumbh this year for 30 days, Chief Secretary Om Prakash had said.
The state government will also issue the notice by the end of March stating that this time Kumbh will be held from April 1 to April 30. The decision is taken to prevent the spread of COVID-19 infection.
The state government has also emphasised reducing the duration of Kumbh as they fear becoming a hot spot of the virus.
Kumbh Mela is not only a religious pilgrimage, but one of the largest mass gatherings at one place. It is celebrated four times over a course of 12 years and spans four locations namely Prayag, Haridwar, Ujjain and Nashik. The Maha Kumbh is celebrated in a cycle of 12 years at four river-bank pilgrimage sites across India.
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