Rain disrupts PM Modi's International Yoga Day open-air event at Srinagar's Dal Lake

Srinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the benefits of yoga for the mind, body, and soul here on the occasion of International Yoga Day on Friday. Heavy rainfall had disrupted the PM's open-air International Yoga Day programmes. Moderate to heavy rainfall has been reported from across the Valley. Heavy rainfall is going on around Dal Lake where Prime Minister Modi was to lead the main yoga event, officials said. 

"The world is looking at yoga as a powerful agent of global good. Yoga helps us live in the present moment without the baggage of the past," the prime minister said.

"When we are peaceful within, we can also make a positive impact on the world...Yoga is making new ways of positive change in the society," the prime minister said.

The Prime Minister was scheduled to kick-start the 10th International Day of Yoga event at SKICC in Srinagar by 6.20 am. More than 7,000 participants will join him in performing yoga on Friday on the banks of picturesque Dal Lake. The participants have been trained over the past three days in the yoga 'Asanas' to be performed by the prime minister. 
Read: World Yoga Day: PM Modi urges to practice Rabbit Pose; benefits and side effects

The PM had on Thursday inaugurated projects worth Rs 1,500 crore and participated in the 'Empowering Youth, Transforming J&K' programme, which focuses on youth-led development, during his two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir. This is Prime Minister Modi's first visit to Jammu and Kashmir after taking charge at the Centre for the third term.

Stringent multi-layer security arrangements have been put in place for the prime minister's two-day visit to Kashmir. Security forces personnel have been deployed in strength across the Srinagar city to ensure that the prime minister's visit passes off peacefully. The roads leading to SKICC have been sealed.

The sanitisation operation at the SKICC was concluded on Tuesday and the background security check of all officials of the SKICC, security personnel and others on duty, and the sportspersons who will attend has been conducted. As part of the security measures, the Srinagar Police declared the city a 'Temporary Red Zone' for the operation of drones and quadcopters.

"Srinagar city has been declared as 'Temporary Red Zone' for the operation of drones and quadcopters as per provisions of Rule 24(2) of Drone Rules, 2021 with immediate effect," the Srinagar Police said on X on June 18.

All unauthorised drone operations in the "red zone" are liable to being penalised according to provisions of the drone rules, the police said. Ahead of the main function on Friday, a series of yoga events have been held over the past three days at many places in the city and elsewhere in the valley, the officials said.

A yoga event was held near the iconic clock tower at the Lal Chowk city centre here while a mega yoga camp was held at Polo Ground on Wednesday. Another event was also held at the SKICC here, the officials said, adding similar events were held at many places in the Valley to mark the celebrations for the 10th IYD.
(With PTI inputs.)