The Haridwar Police has issued a notice asking people not to come to the district for Kanwar Yatra, news agency ANI reported on Thursday, 15 July.
The Uttarakhand government on Tuesday said that it has decided to cancel the Kanwar Yatra this year, keeping in mind the COVID-19 pandemic.
Announcing the decision Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami, as per ANI, said that a coronavirus variant had been found in the city of Gadarpur and they did not want to make Haridwar a 'COVID-spreading centre'.
In the notice, the police said that all entry and exit points to Haridwar districts have been sealed, reiterating that there is no permission for the Kanwar Yatra.
The notice added that people coming from other states will be mandatorily required to complete a 14-day institutional quarantine.
"Vehicle of anyone attempting to enter the district will be seized and action taken under the Disaster Management Act," the police notice added.
The religious pilgrimage undertaken by the devotees of Lord Shiva was set to commence from 25 July.
Previously, while Uttar Pradesh had reportedly decided to permit the yatra, Uttarakhand was in discussion with the neighbouring states on the matter.
Meanwhile on Wednesday, the Supreme Court took suo motu cognizance of the Uttar Pradesh government's nod to allow the Kanwar Yatra and issued a notice to the Yogi Adityanath-led government regarding the same.
The court has sought the state's response by 16 July.
Justice Rohinton Nariman said that the move by UP had come despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi insisting that protocols cannot be compromised with.
(With inputs from ANI.)
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