Union minister Smriti Irani will be the chief guest at the International Yoga Day event in Chandigarh on June 21, said a release by the UT Administration on Tuesday. The yoga day will be observed at Sector 17 Plaza where elaborate arrangements are being made. This year the cost of the event has been estimated over Rs 40 lakh, around Rs 10 lakh more than 2017. On Thursday, the general participants have been asked to come at 5 am, while the chief guest will arrive at 6.10 am. The event will begin with welcome address at 6.12 am. Member of Parliament Kirron Kher’s address is scheduled for 6.14 am, while Smriti Irani will speak at 6.16 am. From 6.30 am to 7 am, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s yoga address will be streamed live. Thereafter, the actual yoga event will be held from 7 am to 8 am. A list of participants has already been finalised by the administration. Only those who are trained by yoga associations as per the national protocol will be allowed. The Government College of Yoga Education and Health has already started teaching asanas at 31 centres across the city for the event. The first line at the Plaza will be of 30 disabled people who are trained in yoga. Apart from them, around 1,000 students, teachers and other trained staff from Government College for Yoga Education and Health, Sector 23, besides the members of Patanjali, Brahmakumaris, Art of Living, yoga sabhas and various other associations will be there among the participants. As many as 890 personnel from CRPF and 400 policemen will be deployed. This year, Rs 40 lakh will be spent on around 3,000 yoga mats measuring 6 by 2 feet each, 4,000 T-shirts, eight LED screens, 146 boxes of drinking water, 16 loudspeakers, a decked-up stage, 10 single-seater VIP sofas and carpeting at the Plaza. Last year, over Rs 12 lakh was spent on purchasing 3,000 mats and an equal number of yoga T-shirts. Around Rs 8 to 10 lakh was incurred for the stage, tent and sound system.
