State issues guidelines for Durga Puja, spacious pandals must

Kolkata: In an attempt to curb spread of Corona and to ensure a safe Durga Puja in wake of the pandemic, the Bengal government, issuing a guideline, has urged Puja committees to space out festivities over more number of days by facilitating visits to Puja pandals from Tritiya itself to avoid gathering besides following other norms including spacious pandals keeping three sides open.

In the four-page guideline issued by the state government on Monday, Puja committees were urged to adhere "to the physical distancing norms and other health safety measures that are required to be ensured during the current times and may need spacing out the festival over larger number of days. Puja Committees should make necessary advance planning that facilitates visit to Puja pandals from Tritiya itself".

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had held a meeting with representatives of Puja committees on September 24, and had mentioned about the guidelines that the Puja committees have to follow to ensure a "safe" Durga Puja when people are still getting infected to Covid. She had also announced Rs 50,000 grant to each of the Durga Puja committees besides other supports including 50 per cent discount on power tariff.

Monday's guideline further stated that "this year Puja is being organised amidst unprecedented pandemic that demands adequate health safety measures and Puja Committees must ensure the health and safety norms for themselves and for visitors".

If in case it becomes essential to have closed ceiling of a pandal then the sides will have to be kept open and if the sides have to be blocked, the ceiling has to be kept open with proper floor marking to maintain physical distancing. At the same time there has to be separate entry and exit. Use of mask is compulsory at Puja mandaps. The committees may also distribute masks in close vicinity of the pandal to the visitors those come without masks and hand sanitiser also has to be made available. There must be sufficient volunteers, with additional precautionary measure of wearing face shield, to ensure compliance of the norms of physical distancing, use of mask and hand sanitiser.

Anjali, Prasad Bitoran and Sindoor Khela should be organised in a planned manner and in smaller groups with priests using microphones so that sound reaches

devotees and people do not have to assemble closely in small spaces. Steps should be taken to encourage devotees to offer anjali with flowers brought from homes to avoid congestion inside pandal for collection of flower to offer puja.

The Chief Minister has allowed organising cultural programmes with a ceiling of 50 participants, but it has been stated in the guidelines that "cultural programmes in or near Puja pandal premises shall not be allowed". At the same time inauguration and immersion should be kept in low-key to avoid gathering. It has also been suggested to go for virtual inauguration. During immersion, idols must be taken to the ghats directly without any stopover.

Jury members for various Puja award programmes have to visit Puja mandaps in between 10 am and 3 pm in small convoy though ideally virtual judgement is preferred.