U'khand: Char Dham, Hemkund Sahib Yatra postponed till Sept 5 amid heavy rain alert

Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], September 1 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister's Secretary and Garhwal Division Commissioner Vinay Shankar Pandey on Monday announced that the Char Dham Yatra and Hemkund Sahib Yatra have been postponed until September 5.
The decision came amid the red and orange alerts for heavy rain issued by the Meteorological Department.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami informed that some districts in the region are currently under a red and orange alert issued by the Meteorological Department, and the next 24-48 hours will be crucial.
"... Some of our districts are in red alert and some districts are in orange alert... The next 24-48 hours are crucial, and we all have to keep a close watch. Our entire district administration, NDRF, SDRF, all departments are on alert... We are also monitoring the Nanak Sagar Dam. It is flowing 5 feet below the danger level...," Chief Minister Dhami said on Sunday.
The Uttarakhand CM said, "We are providing immediate assistance to those whose houses have been affected by the disaster and are relocating them to safe places. Camps have also been set up. Our goal is to ensure that all basic needs are met in the relief camps... Efforts to open the blocked roads are underway..."
Additionally, the CM has directed district-level officers to remain on round-the-clock alert, in view of the red and orange warnings issued by the Meteorological Department for most districts over the next few days.
Chairing a meeting with senior officials, Chief Minister Dhami said that the State continues to face challenges due to excessive rainfall, and the coming few days are going to be more difficult.
He directed all the officers to take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of ordinary citizens. Special vigilance should be exercised on the routes due to the risk of landslides, and all precautionary measures should be taken in anticipation of waterlogging in the plains. (ANI)