The Supreme Court sends a notice to the Uttar Pradesh gov over Kanwar Yatra to be held stating ‘Right to Life is Above Any Religious Views’
In fact, India should be closing all mega travel, gatherings and yatras at the threat of the third wave, but it appears the UP government in adamant to go ahead with the Yatra. Centre opposes Kanwar Yatra in Supreme Court, asks state governments to arrange Gangajal for kanwariyas instead.
However, in its affidavit in the Supreme Court, the Center said that states must not permit Kanwar Yatra to Haridwar in Uttarakhand while asking the state governments to ensure the availability of Gangajal to kanwariyas in temples in view of the pandemic situation in the country and asked that the state governments should instead develop a system to make Gangajal available to devotees at nearby temples.
The Center said in the affidavit, “The state governments must also ensure that this exercise of distribution of Gangajal amongst devotees and the rituals to be performed by such devotees in the nearby Shiv temples takes place mandatorily, ensuring social distancing, wearing of masks and adherence to all steps required for Covid-appropriate behaviour and COVID health protocols.”
The Uttarakhand government had earlier cancelled the Kanwar Yatra in view of the looming threat of a third wave of COVID-19.
The Supreme Court reiterated, “This pandemic affects all of us. The health of citizens of India and the right to life is paramount and all other sentiments whether being religious is subservient to this basic fundamental right,” the Supreme Court said on Friday as it asked the Uttar Pradesh government to apprise the court about its decision on Monday.
The Supreme Court said that it would be forced to pass an order if the UP fails to reconsider its decision to hold the Kanwar Yatra.
In the past 24 hours, India recorded 38,949 fresh cases, pushing the active caseload to 4,30,422, as per data by Health Ministry. After the Uttar Pradesh government allowed the Kanwar Yatra which has been suspended by neighbouring Uttarakhand amid worries of a possible third COVID-19 wave, the Supreme Court inquired answers by Friday from the Centre and the governments of UP and Uttarakhand.
With the large-scale ubiquity of the deadly Delta variant, the Manipur Government has announced a total curfew for 10 days, starting July 18.
The response of the Centre came after the SC took a suo motu cognisance of the Uttar Pradesh government’s decision to allow the yatra from July 25 amidst the Covid pandemic and issued a notice.
The Supreme Court has meanwhile granted time to Uttar Pradesh to reconsider its decision to hold symbolic Kanwar Yatra, citing health concerns.
The Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage of devotees of Shiva, known as Kānvarias or “Bhole”, to Hindu pilgrimage places of Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand and Sultanganj in Bihar to fetch holy waters of Ganges River. Millions of participants gather sacred water from the Ganga and carry it across hundreds of miles to dispense as offerings in their local Śiva shrines, or specific temples such as Pura Mahadeva and Augharnath temple in Meerut, and Kashi Vishwanath, Baidyanath, and Deoghar in Jharkhand.
The Consequence of the Yatra and Crowds In Spite of Masking:
India has witnessed the second wave attack the nation viciously with these same yatras, gatherings, rallies, parties, shopping malls open, and other mega meets. In all these meetings, people were masking, but it is impossible to distance in crowds.
It is the Huge Gatherings all over India that Led to this Devastation.
India has forgotten the horrors of the second wave, people dying, gasping for oxygen, overflowing hospitals, no medicines and right now, there is a vaccine shortage too.
Countries all around the globe rose up to help India and the Director-General of the World Health Organization Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has called the situation in India “beyond heartbreaking”
It is terrifying that in the noxious predicted third wave, massive crowds are going to still gather. India has forgotten the graveyards and mortuaries piling up with dead bodies each day now are waiting to be cremated and buried. With a lack of space, loved ones were creating or burying them on open grounds. Crematoriums who used to cremate an average of 25 bodies are day then had hundreds a day and have to turn away the dead.
New Virus Mutants Develop in Massive Crowds:
New variants mostly always breed in crowds more easily. The crowds are the prime culprit, breeding grounds for the new variants to grow. These variants are more transmissible than the original SARS-CoV-2 virus. Ultimately, children are also going to suffer along with everyone. This is the price we paid for mule mentality and imbecility walking in herds to strengthen the variants.
The Third Wave to Arrive in August where Youth Under 18 and children will be affected:
While the Supreme Court says, “We need to prepare for the third wave of COVID-19, children will be affected; scientific planning needed” the Central government once again is showing no responsibility.
“The third surge in India which is around the corner according to experts will affect children. So when a child goes to the hospital, the mother and father will also have to go. That is why vaccination will have to be over for this group of people. we need to plan for this in a scientific way and thus make arrangements,” the Court said.
If we prepare today we may be able to handle it, the Court said. The Court also urged the government to examine the possibility.
Vaccinations and Isolations Will Eradicate COVID-19
While it was propagated that Indians will build herd immunity, this virus works differently, it mutates to escape the immune system in its new variants and enlarges. In a bid to fight the new variants of COVID-19, now, it seems vaccinations for all are of utmost importance. However, presently, there are no vaccines and it seems sad that India, the world’s largest vaccine producer has no more vaccines for the anxiously waiting public.
The state governments must ensure to vaccinate their people as soon as possible amid NO hindrances imposed by the Center, but vaccines are dwindling in states. If each state and chief minister works statewide flying against time, it is possible Now, it seems vaccinations for all are of utmost importance.
Remember, vaccinations were how infectious polio and smallpox were eradicated? And In 2014, India was officially declared polio-free after diligent vaccinations over years and in December 1979 smallpox is officially eradicated from the planet. Through fast working medical teams and COVID warriors, India can ensure a billion are vaccinated within months. It is possible.
Isolation:
The most fatal pandemic called the Bubonic Plague recorded in human history, caused the death of 75–200 million people, also known as the Black Death which monstrously took away lives where towns were left in eerie deathly silence. It is said the plague ended through the implementation of quarantines.
We cannot shut down India completely or millions will starve, so while manufacturing and transport go on, work goes on online, we must stop mega-events and gatherings immediately. Authorities must identify red-hot zones and seal off those areas but the government must ensure people get food, medicines, and oxygen.