The Uttarakhand government on Tuesday cancelled the Kanwar Yatra in view of a possible third wave of Covid-19, sources said.

It is for the second consecutive year that the yatra is not being held due to the pandemic.

The Indian Medical Association had also written to Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami recently asking him to not allow the yatra to go ahead in the interest of the people of the state and the country.

Earlier in the day, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami had said that though Kanwar Yatra is part of Sanatan culture, saving lives in the time of the pandemic was paramount.

"Kanwar is part of the Sanatan culture but saving lives is paramount. Government's focus is to ensure that Covid does not spread," Dhami said addressing a meeting of all morchas (wings) of the state BJP In Dehradun.

Dhami, who met central leaders in Delhi including the Prime Minister to discuss a range of issues, had been saying repeatedly that saving human lives is important.

The fortnight-long yatra which begins with the onset of the month of Shravan by the Hindu calendar goes on till the first week of August and sees a large gathering of Kanwariyas in Haridwar from neighbouring states including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi to collect the holy waters of the Ganga.