Dehradun, July 13 -- Keeping in view the COVID0-19 pandemic, the Uttarakhand Government on Tuesday has decided to cancel Kanwar Yatra this year.

Kanwar Yatra is an annual pilgrimage of devotees of Lord Shiva to Hindu pilgrimage sites of Haridwar, Gaumukh and Gangotri in Uttarakhand and Sultanganj in Bihar to fetch holy waters of River Ganga. Later, the holy water is dispensed as offerings to Lord Shiva in temples.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, at a high-level meeting, decided that like last year, this year too, there will be no Kanwar Yatra to combat coronavirus, officials said.

After considering expert opinions and an in-depth discussion on the finding of the Delta Plus variant of COVID and its effects in the country...