Durga Puja committees asked to submit to the police detailed plan in pandals for COVID-19 safety

The state government has asked Durga Puja committees to submit their detailed plans for organising the festival this year, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

Most of these measures relates to containing the spread of the virus while organising the pujas and for visitors to pandals and crowd management. The organisers are to submit their detailed plans with the local officer-in-charge of police stations or the inspectors in charge – who will further collate the plans and submit them to the police superintendents and police commissioners.

How will the organisers prevent overcrowding? How will those outside pandals be managed in queues? How will social distancing be maintained within pandals? How will the air circulation taken place within the pandals? How many people will be allowed inside pandals at a given point of time? How will the anjali be offered to the deity? These and several other questions have to be answered and submitted to the police authorities. The government will review the plans and ask organisers to alter their plans if required.

The Central government on Monday, during a videoconference meeting, had suggested preparedness for Durga Puja, scheduled on October 22 this year. Among other things, the Centre has suggested that Durga Puja pandals be kept as open as possible to allow better circulation of air and free ventilation. Even if some spaces within the pandals are closed, enough arrangements have to be made for ventilation.

This and other measures for Durga Puja are to be discussed on September 25 when the government officials meet Durga Puja organisers from Kolkata and the city’s outskirts.