In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, the West Bengal government issued guidelines on Wednesday for conducting Puja festivities. Several measures were outlined by the state government in a press release, including masking, sanitizing, and distancing ahead of Durga Puja rituals and events. The state on Tuesday saw 11 deaths due to the disease. A total of 619 new cases brought the state’s total to 15,72,460. In the wake of the devastating second Covid-19 wave in April and May this year, the center is warning against laxity in measures against the disease ahead of the approaching festive season and as state norms are relaxed. In order to prevent the disease from spreading, the Bengal government implemented masks and antiseptic hand sanitizers, along with a ban on cultural programs.
Guidelines by the government of Bengal:
1. Pandals must be spacious and can be entered and exited separately, the state government stated in its press release. In case it is necessary to have a closed ceiling, the sides will have to remain open. The physical distance between pandal areas must be ensured in accordance with the COVID-19 pandemic norms. Separate entrances and exits should be provided. People should not mix or crowd. Physical distancing norms should be observed on entry and exit paths and assembly points by marking floors and displaying signs.
2. Masks and hand sanitizer are mandatory for all visitors visiting the pandals. Organizers will make adequate arrangements for the distribution of masks to visitors who accidentally enter the pandal premises without masks, according to the release. The use and availability of hand sanitizer should also be made mandatory in the pandal premises.
3. In order to enforce the wear of masks and use of hand sanitizers, the organizers must have volunteers present in adequate numbers. Volunteers themselves should wear face masks and face shields for their safety. Anjali, Prasad Bitaran, and Sindoor Khela should take place in a planned manner and in smaller groups, as possible, with staggered timings in order to ensure the health and safety of participants and organizers. As a result, priests should use microphones to utter the mantra so that worshipers standing far away can hear it and people do not have to assemble closely in small areas, the release said. In order to avoid congestion at the flower collection points in the pandals, devotees may be encouraged to offer Anjali flowers from home.
4. The government has announced that cultural activities are not to be conducted on or near Puja pandal premises.
5. Judges for various Puja award programs should not be allowed to enter Puja premises in convoys and in large numbers, the government has said. The number of cars that can visit a pandal at any given time must not exceed two. It is ideal to conduct the judging of Pujas virtually and to schedule the physical visits between 10 AM and 3 PM (maximum).
6. The release stressed the importance of using electronic and social media to alert people to avoid large assemblies and crowding on roads and near pandals. Visitors should be ensured a continuous flow of movement by organizing volunteers and police personnel.
7. Immersions and inaugurations with minimal pomp and circumstance should be the norm. As much as possible, the release said, inaugurations should take place virtually. Masks, sanitizers, physical distancing, and the no-crowd principle must be observed at all times. Ghat slots should be allocated strictly according to the pre-planned schedules. During immersions, ghats will be properly sanitized so that the physical distance required can be maintained. There must be no stopover at any place for Protima, as this would avoid unnecessary diversions.
8. In the permission-obtaining process, physical contact must also be avoided. Authorities should arrange for an online system for obtaining permission.
9. According to the government, following physical separation norms and maintaining other health safety measures during the current times may require spacing out the festival over a longer period of time. The committee should plan ahead in order to facilitate visits to Puja pandals, it added.
10. State immersion carnival will not be held this year due to the pandemic and the need to have physical distancing norms, according to a release. In a similar vein, it said melas and carnivals should not be held near Puja pandals.
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State Governments and other public and private organizations will offer assistance to Puja Committees/organizers because handling public health during the pandemics will entail greater costs and energy:
- State government fire services shall not charge fees for their services. Emergency services shall be provided free of charge by the State.
- On this account, the local authorities (urban and rural) shall also provide their services free of charge and no fee/charge shall be levied on any Puja Committee/ organizer.
- The power utility companies shall provide 50% of the concessional power. Separate notifications will be issued by the relevant organizations.
- For each club, the State Government will provide one-time financial assistance of Rs.50,000 in addition to the other customary public services to enable them to deal with the current pandemic situation. An upcoming government order will elaborate on the details.
- Puja committees/ organizers shall receive all the assistance they need from the police and administration authorities.
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