Uttarakhand government on June 29 suspended the Char Dham yatra until further notice. This comes a day after the state high court stayed for four weeks the Cabinet’s decision to allow the yatra for local residents of three districts from July 1. The court took note of experts’ opinion that the “ill-decision” of holding the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar in April was one of the contributory factors for the steep rise of the Covid-19 second wave. On June 28, the government issued SOPs for the first phase of Char Dham yatra, in which residents of Chamoli, Rudraprayag and Uttarkashi districts would be allowed only after prior registration and RTPCR/TrueNat/RAT Covid-19 negative test report. The SOPs said all residents of Uttarakhand will be allowed to visit the four shrines in the second phase from July 11, if they are carrying a negative Covid-19 test report. A bench of Chief Justice Raghvendra Singh Chauhan & Justice Alok Kumar Verma on June 28 had issued the stay order while hearing a clutch of PILs related to availability of health infrastructure in the state. State government spokesperson Subodh Uniyal had told the media that the government will examine the high court order and move the Supreme Court if necessary. Watch the video to know more.