Kanwarias will not be allowed to go to hilly terrains ahead of Rishikesh and Mussoorie as travelling in tough terrains might prove risky for them due to damaged roads. Uttarakhand police took the decision in the ninth Inter-State Coordination Meeting held at Police Headquarters on Wednesday.
Chairing the meeting, Director General of Police Uttarakhand Satyavrata said, “Police would strictly stop Kanwarias from going to hilly terrains ahead of Rishikesh. We appeal the kanwarias to cooperate with the police in ensuring peaceful conduct of the mela.” The DGP further added that the kanwariyas should restrain from visiting the tough terrains this season as the disaster caused heavy damage to the routes at several pockets. Travelling on the damaged route might land them in peril. In order to avoid any such inconvenience to them, the police would not allow them to travel in the tough terrains.
Discussing the measures with the officials, he laid stress on coordination among various agencies and the police. “Coordination among the security and intelligence agencies is very indispensable to ensure peaceful conduct of the mela in order to ensure peaceful conduct of the event that attracts large number of kanwariyas to Haridwar and Rishikesh. Though conducting the mela peacefully is a challenge during this season, we would ensure it with coordination,” he said.
He also laid emphasis on creating awareness among the people in rural areas from where large number of kanwariyas undertakes the Kanwar Yatra. He also asked the officials to distribute pamphlets, banners among the Kanwarians on the yatra routes. He asked Uttar Pradesh Additional Director General of Police (law and order) Arun Kumar to hold a meeting with the officials for better coordination and review of the preparations before commencement of the mela. Kumar will hold a meeting on July 15. A decision to exchange the inputs, ban on DJ and use of canal lanes by the kanwarias was also taken. Trident, hockey and sticks would also be banned in the mela. Police would ensure effective implementation of traffic rules during the yatra.
Uttarakhand police would keep special vigil on naxal activities in adjoining states and would exchange inputs with the states about them. Keeping special vigil at China and Nepal border, the intelligence agencies and police organisations would exchange inputs. The police would ensure vehicle checking and security of the bridges. Police would also launch a drive to arrest inter-state criminals along with the efforts to keep an effective check on smuggling at Tibet/ Nepal international border. Simultaneously, police would also take efforts to curb fake currency circulation.
Senior officials, IG Meerut zone BK Singh, IG (law and order) Uttarakhand Ram Singh Meena, Indo-Tibet Border Police (ITBP) IG IS Negi, IG SSB Shyam Singh, DIG Telecom Haryana Subhash Yadav, DIG Intelligence Uttarakhand PS Sailal, DIG Sanjay Gunjyal and other senior officials attended the meeting. DGP extended thanks to the officials for attending the meet.