Covid-19: Delhi bans Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in public

The order, signed by Delhi chief secretary Vijay Dev, urges devotees to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi at home

Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations in public and any related procession or gathering have been prohibited in the national capital due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic for the second consecutive year. An order to notify the ban on such festivities was issued by the Delhi Disaster Management Authority on Tuesday night.

An artist gives the finishing touches to an idol of Ganesha with a figure depicting a coronavirus at a workshop ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. (Representational image/AFP)

Ganesh Chaturthi will be celebrated on Friday, September 10 this year and the 11-day celebration will conclude on September 21.

The order, signed by Delhi chief secretary Vijay Dev, urges devotees to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi at home. “Ganesh Chaturthi festival will be celebrated during this month, i.e. in the month of September, 2021 and considering the prevailing restrictions on gatherings and congregations and present situation of Covid-19 pandemic, it has been decided that Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations may not be allowed in public places and people may be advised to celebrate the festival at their home only,” read the order seen by HT.

Accordingly, all district magistrates and the Delhi Police have been directed to ensure that no idol of Lord Ganesha is set up in tents, pandals or public places. They also have been asked to strictly disallow any form of procession and not grant permission to any committees. Around a 100 committees seek permission for community celebration of Ganesh Chaturthi in Delhi every year, but thousands of people celebrate in their residences and they follow the idol immersion ritual in Delhi.

“All district magistrates and their counterpart district deputy commissioners of police and all authorities concerned shall ensure strict compliance of this order and shall adequately inform and sensitise the field functionaries about these instructions for strict compliance in letter and spirit,” the order read.

“It is also directed that the district magistrates and district DCPs shall convene meetings with religious/community leaders/Ganesh Chaturthi festival committees before the festival to get their cooperation to maintain law and order and harmony and also to sensitise public for compliance of guidelines.instructions issued for combating Covid-19 by the government from time to time,” the order added.