Dehradun, January 8: Uttarakhand State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) on Friday launched a COVID-19 awareness campaign in Haridwar in the area where the Kumbh Mela will be held. As per an official release, eight teams of the SDRF are deployed in 'Kumbh kshetra' to carry out the COVID-19 awareness campaign and educate more than eleven thousand local residents, devotees and other stakeholders on combating the COVID-19 situation.

Uttarakhand has 3,309 active cases and as many as 1,555 people have succumbed to the infection. "The SDRF has been running public awareness campaigns since the cases of COVID-19 started reporting in the state, but it is a priority to educate people about the ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19. To speed up the process, National Cadet Corps, National Service Scheme, and disaster management groups are also assisting us," the government said. Haridwar Kumbh Mela 2021 to Be Numerically Restricted Amid Coronavirus Pandemic, Says Uttarakhand CM Trivendra Singh Rawat.

The SDRF various mediums, including banners and pamphlets to convey awareness messages to people. In the future, the force is also planning to connect with people through SMS and LED video kits.

The Maha Kumbh is celebrated in a cycle of 12 years at four river-bank pilgrimage sites. This year, Kumbh Mela will be held from January 14 and continue till April.