The annual Shravan-month's Kanwar Yatra is set to begin Wednesday amid the government's grand plan to shower flower petals on Lord Shiva devotees from helicopters during the pilgrimage.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath Sunday visited Muzzafarnagar, one of the last destinations in the state on way to the Ganga in Hardwar and Rishikesh in Uttrakhand and reviewed the last-minute preparedness for the annual pilgrimage, Additional Chief Secretary Awanish Awasthi told PTI.
The chief minister instructed officials to work in co-ordination with various social organisations and ensure a "safe, successful and clean" Kanwar Yatra, added Awasthi.
"The state government is keen on a successful Kanwar Yatra," said the additional chief secretary, adding the chief minister had earlier also held a review meeting with senior officials on preparedness of the yatra.
The chief minister's meeting was followed by an inter-state co-ordination meeting of the state chief secretary and police chief with their counter parts from Delhi, Haryana, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand, added Awasthi.
While chairing a meeting of administrative and police officials recently in Lucknow, Adityanath had said, "DJs will not be banned but they should play only bhajans. No filmy song will be allowed."
The chief minister also instructed officials to arrange for showering devotees with flower petals from helicopter during their yatra.
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The annual Kanwar Yatra involves a round trip of hundreds of kilometers by Hindu devotees to collect the Ganga water from various holy places like Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand and Sultanganj in Bihar.
After collecting water from the Ganga, they carry it as offering to specific Lord Shiva temples in Meerut or Kashi Vishwanath in Uttar Pradesh, Baidyanath Dham in Bihar and Deoghar in Jharkhand.
In Uttar Pradesh, the pilgrims, also known as kanwariyas are likely to pass through more than 25 districts during their holy yatra.
During his meeting with officials, the chief minister, while stressing upon the security and safety of the kanwariyas, had sought replication of Kumbh-like arrangement for the kanwar yatra in the state.
Adityanath has also directed officials to ensure cleanliness and hygienic conditions, including availability of safe drinking water for kanwariyas and ban on use of non-biodegradable materials like plastic and polythene bags.
To ensure safety and security of kanwariyas, the chief minister has also instructed installation of CCTV cameras at crowded places along the yatra route.
To ensure pilgrims' safety, the state government has also arranged for air surveillance with drones and a helicopter, besides deployment of snipers and Anti-Terror Squad teams at crucial spots along the route.
The chief minister has also instructed officials to ensure that there are no liquor shops or slaughter houses near the pilgrimage route or the places of stay of kanwariyas.
The officials have been asked to be specifically on guard on Bakrid this year, which falls on the last Monday, August 12, of Kanwar Yatra.
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