In view of heavy inflow of kanwarias (Shiv devotees), the District Magistrates (DMs) in various parts of the country have ordered closure of educational institutions in their respective districts till 30 July.
All schools and colleges in the Ghaziabad district will remain closed from 26 to 30 July due to Kanwar Yatra, news agency PTI reported on Thursday, 25 July, quoting officials.
Issuing the order, District Magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey reportedly said that "Shravan Shivratri" will be observed on 30 July.
"Devotees and Kanwars in excessive numbers are expected to turn out for the festival like previous years. Hence, all primary, secondary schools, including those affiliated to CBSE and ICSE board, degree colleges, engineering, management and medical colleges will remain closed from 26 to 30 July," Pandey said in the written order on Thursday.
The district police and administration officials have been instructed to ensure compliance of the order.
Similarly, all educational institutions, including schools and colleges in Meerut district would remain closed from 25 to 30 July.
The order was issued keeping in view the increasing number of devotees visiting Haridwar and the possibility of closure of roads for movement, according to ANI.
"All educational institutes including schools, colleges, Anganwadi centres will remain closed from 25 to 30 July in view of 'Kanwar Yatra," ANI had quoted Satendra Kumar, Basic Education Officer, Meerut, as saying on Wednesday, 24 July.
In Haridwar district, the orders came into effect from 23 July and will last till 30 July.
"All educational institutes – including school, colleges, Sanskrit school, Anganwadi centers will remain closed from 23 to 30 July in view of 'Kanwar Yatra 2019," Rupendra Dutt Sharma, Chief Education Officer, Haridwar told ANI on Saturday, 20 July.
Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage of Lord Shiva's devotees known as Kanwars, who visit Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand and Sultanganj in Bihar to fetch holy waters of the river Ganga during the auspicious Hindu month of Shravan.
Security has been beefed up in districts of western Uttar Pradesh like Gautam Buddh Nagar, Ghaziabad, Bulandshahr and Meerut for the annual pilgrimage.
Around 8,000 police personnel have been deployed to ensure monitoring of the yatra, while drones and helicopters have been arranged for aerial surveillance in the region, Director General of Police OP Singh had told reporters earlier this month while reviewing preparedness for the annual pilgrimage.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
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