Mamata to honour Covid warriors during I-Day event

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will felicitate COVID warriors during the Independence Day programme at Red Road.

Unlike all the previous years, the programme will be organised on a small-scale this year in the wake of the pandemic.

The Chief Minister will be hoisting the national Flag followed by a programme of the Kolkata Police for a short duration. Subsequently, Covid warriors will be felicitated.

A high-level meeting was held at the state Secretariat Nabanna on Friday in this regard in which a preliminary planning of the programme has been chalked out.

Earlier, besides parade by the police, tableau on various initiatives and schemes of the state government used to adorn the Red Road every year since the programme of Independence Day was shifted to its new venue from in front of the Writers' Buildings in 2012. It was the Chief Minister's initiative to organise the event on a big scale on Red Road. Even city police's Mounted Police had taken part in the parade. Students of many schools too participate in the programme.

People used to gather to watch the spectacle of helicopters sprinkling flowers at the time of the parade. But this year, the programme has been cut short as no gatherings will be allowed due to the present situation of COVID-19.