Chardham Yatra Amid COVID: Uttarakhand High Court Seeks Details On Preparedness Of State Government, Issues Directions

While seeking a response from the State Government as to whether it has decided to open up the Char Dham Yatra, the Uttarakhand High Court has also asked the Government to inform the Court with regard to the different phases in which the Char Dham Yatra is to be opened.

The Bench of Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan and Justice Alok Kumar Verma perused the affidavit filed by the Additional Secretary, Culture and Religion Affairs Department which mentioned that "frequent surprise visits by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Badkot, the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Bhatwari and the Joint CEO of the Devasthanam Board are being carried out".

However, the Court noted that the outcome of all these "surprise visits" had nowhere been stated in the affidavit.

In the report, it was also stated that the Government of Uttarakhand is also ensuring that every priest and other related persons in the Devasthanam has been given the second dose of vaccine, as they may be secured for their lives their life and prevent of COVID-19 (sic).

To this, the Court said:

"However, when the second dose was given? To how many persons the second dose was administered? The relevant data is conspicuously missing from the affidavit."

The Court also questioned that at the Char Dham, although it is claimed that directions were issued for the posting of the medical staff, whether the necessary medical staff has been so posted or not? 

The State Government submitted that the Government has so far taken a decision not to open the Char Dham Yatra for the visiting pilgrims till 22.06.2021, however, it was stated that the decision whether to open up the Char Dham Yatra after 22.06.2021 or not, is still under consideration by the State Government.

Considering the facts mentioned hereinabove, this Court issued the following directions:-

1. The Secretary, Tourism, shall file a report clearly mentioning the decision of the State Government with regard to the opening of the Char Dham Yatra.
2. He should further inform this Court with regard to the different phases in which the Char Dham Yatra is to be opened.
3. He should further inform this Court about the preparations made by the State Government to ensure that the SOPs issued by the Central and the State Government are strictly adhered to by the pilgrims.
4. He should also inform this Court with regard to the number of persons, who would be deployed for ensuring that the SOPs issued by the Central and the State Government are duly complied with.
5. He should also inform this Court about the sanitization of the sixteen kilometers trek at the Kedarnath shrine, the infrastructure facilities and the equipment provided for such sanitization by the State Government.

The Court has called for the report by June 21 and the matter has been posted for further hearing on June 23.

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