New Delhi: The Calcutta High court on Thursday (October 7) permitted fully vaccinated citizens against the coronavirus to attend Durga puja this year.
People who have received both the COVID-19 jabs can offer Pushpanjali and participate in Sindoor Khela this Durga puja. As many as 45-60 people have been allowed for the big pandals and 10-15 people permitted for the smaller pandals.
West Bengal | Calcutta High Court allows people to offer 'Pushpanjali' and take part in 'Sindoor Khela' at Duga Puja pandals provided they are fully vaccinated. 45- 60 people allowed at large puja pandals and 10-15 people allowed at small puja pandals.
— ANI (@ANI) October 7, 2021
Last week, the high court said that pandals will be ‘no-entry zones’ and prohibited visitors in order to curb the transmission of COVID-19. The visitors were banned from visiting the Durga Puja pandals last year as well.
Further, the high court had said that for smaller pandals, a five-metre zone beyond the extremities of the pandals on all sides and, for larger pandals, a 10-metre area around them will be part of the no-entry zone.
Only named persons including the priest, who will be identified by the puja organisers before and whose names would be displayed for checks will be allowed to enter the pandal.
The bench had ordered last year that at smaller pandals, 15 people will be named in the list who will be allowed to visit the no-entry zone at all times and in bigger to the biggest pandals, 25 to 30 can be mentioned in the list.
On Wednesday (October 6), the West Bengal government had issued guidelines for the Durga Puja celebrations in the state. "This year Puja is being organised and celebrated in the middle of this unprecedented pandemic. This demands proper and adequate health safety measures for the citizens. Puja Committees must ensure the health and safety norms for themselves and for the participants and visitors," advisory issued by the state government read.
(With agency inputs)
