CM Yogi Cancels Official Leaves, Puts UP on High Alert for Festive Week

In a firm administrative review of state security and civic infrastructure ahead of the major festive stretch, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath declared that any deliberate attempt to disrupt communal peace or transform festive cheer into communal unrest will be crushed with total severity. Presiding over a high-level statewide law and order video conference with district administrators, police chiefs, and municipal commissioners on Tuesday, the Chief Minister underscored that upcoming cultural celebrations—including Dhanteras, Diwali, Ayodhya Deepotsav, Dev Deepawali, and Chhath—epitomize social harmony and collective celebration. To maintain round-the-clock vigilance, the state government ordered the immediate cancellation of leave for all administrative, law enforcement, and civic personnel from the state secretariat down to tehsil and local police station levels, while mandating unhindered 24-hour power supply across every district.Round-the-Clock Social Media Watch and Ayodhya Deepotsav Traffic Plans on Full ThrottleEnforcing a strict 'zero tolerance' policy against subversive and mischief-making groups, Chief Minister Adityanath instructed police leadership to deploy dedicated cyber units for 24-hour monitoring of digital communication platforms, directing swift arrests of individuals generating provocative misinformation, fake news, or sectarian discord. Turning to the landmark Ayodhya Deepotsav scheduled for November 7, the Chief Minister mandated that comprehensive route diversions, parking zones, and emergency medical corridors be finalized and widely circulated across public information channels well in advance to prevent vehicular gridlock for pilgrims and domestic and international tourists. The directives further require continuous armed static deployments at high-footfall shrines, intensive foot patrolling across crowded commercial districts, and end-to-end activation of integrated municipal CCTV grids throughout the Dhanteras and Diwali shopping rush.Regulated Firecracker Zones and Urban Sanitation Drives Ahead of FestivitiesAddressing public safety and structural risk management, the administration laid down strict protocols regarding the commercial handling, storage, and retail sale of firecrackers. Under direct orders from the Chief Minister, temporary firecracker stalls and licensing clusters must operate strictly in designated open grounds situated well outside congested inner-city localities and dense residential pockets, with fire safety clearances and provisional licenses cleared through accelerated single-window approvals. Concurrently, the Urban Development and Panchayati Raj departments were directed to run intensive sanitation and street-illumination drives spanning underserved informal settlements and prominent residential colonies alike. To counter holiday travel congestion, the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) will roll out special operational bus schedules, while regional transport authorities were warned to take instantaneous punitive action against private tour and bus operators caught charging inflated fares.Crackdown on Fertilizer Black Marketing: DMs of Over 10 Districts Face Severe ReprimandTaking a hard stance against agrarian malpractice, Chief Minister Adityanath severely reprimanded the District Magistrates of more than ten districts—including Ghazipur, Ballia, Bahraich, Bijnor, Ambedkar Nagar, Sultanpur, and Lakhimpur Kheri—over reported bottlenecks, artificial scarcity, and black marketing of vital urea and DAP fertilizers. Emphasizing that farmers must not encounter logistical or financial distress during the crucial sowing window, the Chief Minister ordered the immediate registration of First Information Reports (FIRs) and statutory criminal action against unauthorized hoarding syndicates, black-market distributors, and retailers attempting to sell agricultural inputs above government-prescribed ceilings. In parallel welfare moves, the Chief Minister directed district treasuries to swiftly clear all backlogged medical reimbursement claims for retired pensioners and release festive honorariums for outsourced government staff and Anganwadi workers without delay.