Nainital HC lifts pilgrim ban on Chardham Yatra
The High Court has lifted the ban on Chardham Yatra. Travel is allowed subject to certain conditions. The court has said that only 800 devotees will be allowed in Kedarnath, 1000 in Badrinath, 600 in Gangotri and 400 in Yamunotri in a day. Devotees will not be able to take bath in the Kund. Devotees will have to bring RTPCR negative report. Those who have received both doses of the Covid vaccine will have to bring a vaccination certificate. Adequate police force will have to be deployed during the Chardham Yatra in Chamoli, Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi districts.
A hearing was held on Thursday in a division bench of Chief Justice RS Chauhan and Justice Alok Kumar Verma on the application filed by the state government to lift the ban on the yatra. Advocate General SN Babulkar and others presented the side of the government. He said that Covid cases are now very much under control and all religious places in the country are open. The lack of travel is also affecting the livelihood of the local people. He requested to allow Char Dham Yatra under the SOP, citing improvement in health services.
There should be adequate medical arrangements in all the four dhams, make checkposts
The High Court has directed the government that there should be complete medical facilities in all the four Dhams. There should be adequate arrangements for medical staff, nurses, doctors, oxygen beds and ventilators. During the journey, the government should issue a medical helpline so that the unwell people can easily get to know about the health related facilities. The court has asked to set up check posts in all the four dhams to verify the RTPCR test report and certificate of vaccination of the pilgrims. Instructions were given to make five check posts in Badrinath, three in Kedarnath. In future, if the cases of Covid increase, then the government can postpone the journey.
District officials have been instructed that they can take the help of local people and NGOs to make the yatra a success, but the NGO should be right and responsible. Accessible toilets should be made at different places during the Chardham Yatra, so that the devotees are not inconvenienced.
These arguments were given
Advocate General SN Babulkar told the court that there has been a decrease in Covid cases in the state as well as in the country. All the temples, schools, courts, parliament have all been opened, so the Chardham Yatra should also be allowed to open according to the rules of Covid. Due to non-availability of travel, the crisis of livelihood has arisen in front of the people associated with it.
After hearing several public interest litigations, the High Court had banned the Chardham Yatra on June 28 on the grounds of increasing cases of corona, insufficient health facilities etc. Against the order of the High Court, the state government had filed an SLP in the Supreme Court, but it could not be heard in the Supreme Court.
Recently, Advocate General SN Babulkar and CSC Chandrashekhar Rawat had verbally requested to lift the ban on travel before a division bench of Chief Justice RS Chauhan and Justice Alok Kumar Verma. On this, the High Court refused to consider the request till the petition was filed before the Supreme Court, citing the SLP being sub-judice in the Supreme Court.
After this the government withdrew the SLP from the Supreme Court. When this information was given to the court by the government, the court had fixed September 16 for hearing. After hearing the affidavit filed by the government, the court has lifted the ban on travel by its June 28 decision. The court has allowed the government to start the Chardham Yatra with some restrictions following the rules and SOPs of Covid. The court also referred to the report of the District Legal Services Authority in its order.
Big relief to the government and businessmen
With the removal of the ban on travel by the High Court, there has been a big relief to the businessmen involved in the journey including the state government. This is also expected to bring relief to the pilgrimage priests and residents of Uttarkashi, Chamoli and Rudraprayag districts who are directly and indirectly associated with the Yatra.
