Around 400 Attendees From Odisha In Kumbh Mela This Year: Uttarakhand Govt

Bhubaneswar: Amid the resurgence of Covid-19 cases in the country, around 400 people of as many as 150 families from Odisha attended Kumbh Mela at Haridwar in Uttarakhand this year.

As per the registration list available with Uttarakhand government, maximum 25 families from Ganjam, 20 from Nabarangpur  and Puri, 10 families from Khordha and nine from Cuttack district took part in the festival.

Meanwhile, concerned over the sudden surge in Covid-19 cases across Odisha, the State government has decided to make 14-day quarantine mandatory for Kumbh Mela returnees.

“As Kumbh Mela has ended, it is expected that many participants will return to the State and it may worsen the situation. A list of the returnees has been prepared and it has been sent to all the district administrations. All the returnees have to stay in compulsory quarantine for 14 days. Even the quarantine period is mandatory for the returnees with Covid-19 negative certificates,” said Director of public health Niranjan Mishra.

A total of around 35 lakh pilgrims across the country gathered at the bank of river Ganga to take the holy dip (Shahi Snan) in the famous festival.

Amid worsening of pandemic situation in the country, the Niranjani Akhada announced to curtail the ongoing Kumbh Mela and it ended on April 17, almost two weeks before the schedule. The event kicked-off on April 1 and was slated for culmination on April 30.

Notably, after several seers tested positive for Covid-19 and many showing symptoms, Ravindra Puri, secretary, Niranjani Akhada announced closure of the event on Saturday.

(Edited by Suryakant Jena)