Uttarakhand Police Issues Guidelines for Char Dham Yatra, Emphasizes Visitor Registration

With the commencement of the annual Char Dham Yatra, Uttarakhand Police has issued comprehensive guidelines to ensure the safety and well-being of pilgrims undertaking the sacred journey to the four revered shrines in the Himalayas. Among the key directives, the police have emphasized the imperative for visitors to complete registration procedures before embarking on the pilgrimage.

New rules on animal testing must take India forward, not backwards: Maneka Gandhi Officials maintain the changes seek to simplify approvals for research institutions, pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. Updated on: Oct 26, 2026, 14:54:47 IST By Jasjeev Gandhiok Prefer HTPrefer HT Prefer HT on Google Share The Centre’s draft rules governing animal experimentation have triggered concerns among animal rights groups, which say the changes could weaken independent oversight and make it easier for laboratories to conduct experiments on animals. However, officials maintain the changes seek to simplify approvals for research institutions, pharmaceutical and biomedical industries. Former Union minister Maneka Gandhi. Former Union minister Maneka Gandhi. HT speaks to animal rights activist and former Union minister Maneka Gandhi, a long-time campaigner against animal experimentation. Edited excerpts: A major change to animal experimentation, proposed in the draft, is that mild and moderate experiments could be approved by an institution’s own ethics committee rather than going to the central regulator. In practical terms, what does this change mean for an animal inside a laboratory? Does it make it easier for more animals to be experimented on? It means the animal loses the one independent pair of eyes that was looking at its fate. Today, experiments on animals larger than a rat go to the central regulator, and there is at least someone outside the building asking whether this experiment is necessary at all. Under the draft, the people who want to do the experiment, their colleagues and their department heads will be the ones approving it. And it is the institution itself, through its own veterinarian, that decides whether the experiment is mild or moderate in the first place. No institution has ever turned down its own funding. So yes, it will make it easier, and it will make it faster, and that means more animals. Mild and moderate are also the bulk of experiments, so we are effectively handing over most of animal experimentation in India to self regulation. The draft classifies experiments as mild, moderate, severe and non-recovery. Is there a concern that the institution conducting the research will effectively decide how severe the experiment is. Does this leave a grey area? It isn’t grey, it is completely black. Under this draft, the institution that wants to do the experiment is also the one that decides which category it falls into. That decision matters enormously, because if the experiment is classified as mild or moderate, the institution’s own committee approves it and it never goes to the central regulator. Only severe and non-recovery experiments on larger animals go outside. So the same people who want the experiment approved are deciding whether anyone independent will ever examine it. That is a clear conflict of interest, and it will push experiments towards the lower categories. Starving a rat for a day is called mild. Keeping a social animal alone in a cage is mild. Starving it for two days, or putting it through distress it cannot escape, is moderate. So is testing herbal products, testing established drugs, and anything described as having “known and reversible effects,” which could mean almost anything. This is not a scientific list. It is the most common commercial work. The draft also creates exceptions and allows laboratories to use animals from open markets, unregistered sources, and in certain circumstances, stray, feral, wild and protected animals. What is the biggest risk that this may create for animals in practice? Could community dogs, lost pets or animals taken from the wild find their way into laboratories? The biggest risk is that nobody will know where an animal came from. The whole point of registered breeders was traceability. Once you allow open markets and unregistered sources for cattle, goats, birds and fish, you create a demand, and in this country demand is met very quickly by people who will pick up anything. Strays and wild animals can be used if a “competent authority” permits it, and the draft never says who that is. Community dogs, someone’s lost pet, birds from illegal markets, all of it can find its way into a laboratory. These exceptions should be removed completely. If a lab cannot get an animal from a registered source, it should not be doing that experiment. The draft formally incorporates the principles of replacement, reduction and refinement, but critics say these safeguards become weaker if institutions themselves are approving experiments. Do you believe India should now be moving towards replacing animal experiments altogether, particularly when the health ministry has already allowed certain drug testing through non-animal methods? What should the rules do differently? Yes, and we are not starting from zero. The health ministry has already amended the drug rules to accept non-animal methods. The world is moving this way because these methods are often more predictive for humans than a mouse ever was. Writing replacement, reduction and refinement into the rules means nothing if the person checking compliance is the institution itself. The rules should make it mandatory to show that no validated alternative exists before an animal is used, set up a national body to validate and promote alternatives, put money into them, and set timelines to phase out animal use in areas where alternatives are already available. A rule that only mentions replacement as a principle is decoration. You have worked on animal experimentation regulation for decades. What specific changes would you want the government to make to this draft? I don’t think this draft can be fixed. There is hardly a provision in it that doesn’t need changing, and when everything needs to change, it is better to start again. So the draft should be put aside and written afresh, this time with independent scientists, animal welfare organisations and legal experts at the table. The new rules must take India forward, not backwards. Animals already have certain protections under the law which cannot be taken away. New should be building on them.

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The Char Dham Yatra, which encompasses the pilgrimage to the holy sites of Yamunotri, Gangotri, Kedarnath, and Badrinath, holds immense significance for devout Hindus seeking spiritual solace and blessings amidst the majestic Himalayan landscape. However, in light of the challenging terrain and unpredictable weather conditions, ensuring the safety of pilgrims remains a top priority for the authorities.

In accordance with the guidelines issued by Uttarakhand Police, all visitors intending to undertake the Char Dham Yatra are required to register themselves at designated checkpoints before proceeding towards the pilgrimage sites. Registration facilitates better coordination and monitoring of pilgrim movements, enabling authorities to respond swiftly in case of emergencies and provide necessary assistance.

Additionally, pilgrims are urged to adhere to safety protocols, including carrying essential supplies such as food, water, and warm clothing, as well as ensuring their vehicles are in roadworthy condition. The police have also advised against undertaking the pilgrimage during adverse weather conditions or inclement weather forecasts, emphasizing the importance of exercising caution and prudence.

Furthermore, Uttarakhand Police has deployed personnel along the Char Dham route to oversee traffic management, conduct security patrols, and assist pilgrims as needed. Special attention is being given to critical stretches of the pilgrimage route known for their challenging terrain and susceptibility to natural disasters, with measures in place to mitigate risks and enhance preparedness.

In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, pilgrims are reminded to adhere to prevailing health guidelines, including wearing masks, practicing social distancing, and sanitizing hands regularly. Health checkpoints have been set up along the pilgrimage route to conduct thermal screening and monitor the health status of visitors, with provisions in place for necessary medical assistance if required.

As thousands of devotees embark on the sacred journey of the Char Dham Yatra, Uttarakhand Police remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring a safe, secure, and spiritually enriching pilgrimage experience. By fostering collaboration between authorities, pilgrims, and local communities, the police are striving to uphold the sanctity of the Char Dham Yatra while safeguarding the well-being of all participants.