HC pulls up Uttarakhand govt. for violation of SOPs in tourist places

Court extends stay on Char Dham Yatra till the matter pending in SC is decided

The Uttarakhand High Court on Wednesday pulled up the State government for violation of COVID-19 standard operating procedures (SOPs) in tourist places and extended the stay on the Char Dham Yatra until the matter pending in the Supreme Court is decided. Observing that 75% of tourists coming to Nainital were not following the COVID-19 SOPs, contributing to a rise in positive cases last week, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice R.S. Chauhan and Justice Alok Kumar Verma expressed concern over the increasing crowds at tourist places on weekends and inquired about the steps taken to control them. The High Court had put a stay on the Char Dham Yatra on June 28 in view of the risks involved in conducting the pilgrimage amid the pandemic. The State government had approached the Supreme Court against the stay order. The apex court is yet to hear the matter.