Kalpwasis will have to undergo Covid-19 test at Magh Mela: UP govt

All the "kalpwasis" visiting Magh Mela 2021 in Prayagraj will have to undergo the Covid-19 test, the Uttar Pradesh government said on Monday.

Chairing a review meeting regarding the preparations of Magh Mela 2021, state Chief Secretary RK Tiwari said all the "kalpwasis" coming to the event will have to mandatorily undergo the RT-PCR test.

He said the devotees coming daily to the Magh Mela should also undergo the rapid-antigen test and thermal screening.

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"If any devotee is found to be Covid positive, he or she should be rushed to a hospital in a dedicated Covid-19 ambulance," Tiwari said.

He said sanitisation of the mela area should be carried out on a regular basis and there should be adequate medical facilities, including ambulances, in the mela area.

The chief secretary also stressed the importance of an effective crowd-control mechanism during the event, a statement issued by the Uttar Pradesh government said.

The "kalpwasis" are regarded as the most faithful pilgrims, who vow to live an austere and minimalist life on the banks of the Ganga for a month, Ashutosh Varshney, the convenor of the Ram Naam Bank and the Ram Sewa Trust, who put up camps at the Magh Mela, said.