The Ganga Snan scheduled on June 20 on the occasion of Ganga Dussehra in Haridwar has been cancelled for devotees due to the prevailing COVID-19 pandemic, the Haridwar Police said on Friday. According to the police, the district borders will be sealed on June 20, and devotees coming from other states will not be allowed.
Superintendent of police (SP), City of Haridwar Kamlesh Upadhyaya said, "After meeting with the officials of Shri Ganga Sabha including various religious institutions in Haridwar, it has been decided that Ganga Dussehra will be celebrated in a symbolic way."
"The borders of Haridwar will remain closed for the devotees coming from other states," Upadhyaya stated.
The SP city urged people to celebrate Ganga Dussehra at their houses and follow the SoPs issued by the authorities.
"Legal action will be taken against those who would not follow the guidelines issued for COVID-19 under the Disaster Management Act," he added.
Ganga Dussehra is celebrated on the tenth day (Dashami) of the waxing phase of the moon (Shukla Paksha) in the Hindu month Jyeshtha, which also marks the day when Goddess Ganga is believed to have descended from the heavens to Earth.
Devotees believe that taking a dip in the river on this day will get them rid of their sins and also heal any physical ailments.
Meanwhile, a police sub-inspector posted in Uttarakhand's Mussoorie was transferred days after he fined an MLA for allegedly violating COVID-19 guidelines, fuelling allegations that he was penalised for acting against a sitting legislator.
Last Sunday, a video clip surfaced on social media in which Roorkee MLA Pradeep Batra was seen throwing money at a police sub-inspector who had fined him and walking away.
The MLA was stopped for not wearing a mask properly and roaming around with his family despite the lockdown enforced in Mussoorie.
The sub-inspector, Neerak Kathait, was on Thursday transferred to Kalsi, around 40 km from Dehradun, Mussoorie Circle Officer Narendra Pant said.
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