As a result of adverse weather conditions, offline registration for the Char Dham Yatra was suspended, leaving thousands of pilgrims stranded in Haridwar and Rishikesh. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami visited Rishikesh on Monday to assess the situation and address the needs of the pilgrims. He assured them that no devotee would be turned away without having the opportunity for darshan. The government is contemplating reopening offline registration to alleviate the situation.
The challenging weather conditions have taken a toll on the health of pilgrims returning from the Char Dham Yatra, with approximately 60% exhibiting symptoms such as cough, cold, and fever. Many pilgrims, primarily from states like Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, Delhi, and Karnataka, have been affected. The transition from the plains to the mountainous regions seems to have posed difficulties for pilgrims, who often fail to adequately prepare for the cold climate, leading to illnesses.
At the transit camp in Rishikesh, around 2,150 pilgrims underwent medical examinations, revealing that 1,296 of them were suffering from cold-related ailments. Vijay Gaud, overseeing the medical center at the transit camp, noted that pilgrims often underestimate the cold conditions in the Char Dham region and fail to equip themselves accordingly. This lack of preparation leaves them vulnerable to sudden drops in temperature, resulting in illnesses.
The weather contrast between the plains and the mountains in Uttarakhand is stark, with scorching heat prevailing in the plains, where temperatures in Dehradun have soared above 40°C (104°F). Such climatic variations highlight the unpredictability of weather conditions from the plains to the mountainous areas, underscoring the importance of proper preparation for pilgrims embarking on the Char Dham Yatra.
