HC asks state to submit blueprint of crowd management during Pujas

Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Thursday asked the state government to submit blueprint of steps taken to tackle crowd during Durga Puja.

Hearing a petition challenging the government's decision to disburse the money to community Durga Pujas, a division bench comprising justices Sanjib Banerjee and

Arijit Banerjee asked a series of questions to the state government in connection with the dole given by the state government.

Does the government give grants only for Durga Puja? Or also for other festivals? What was given on Eid and other festivals? Why the state giving is giving Rs 50,000 to the Durga Puja organisers? What are the measures that are being

taken by the state government to tackle crowd during

Puja?

The state government, on its part, said that money is being given to the Durga Puja committees to buy masks and sanitisers.

In September, the police and state government officials conducted a meeting in connection with the COVID-10 guidelines for the pandal hoppers.

Police have already started checking the pandals. Arrangements have been made

according to the instructions of the Global Advisory

Board.

The Durga Puja is an international festival and (abek) of Bengal. The court pointed out that if the crowd management is done by the police then why the dole is being given the Durga Puja orgainsers.

Rather than giving money to the Puja organisers the state government should have given masks and sanitisers.

The petition, challenging the grant of Rs 50,000 announced by Chief Minister Mamata Beanerjee and other benefits, was filed by Sourav Dutta, a Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) leader. He claimed that the government's decision was not in tune with the concept of secularism in India

The Court had fixed the matter for final hearing on October 16.