West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee told reporters on Tuesday she asked the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) to declare “Durga Puja as intangible cultural Heritage of humanity and global festival”. She added that festivities will take place under similar Covid restrictions as last year.
“Last year a series of measures were adopted to hold the Durga Puja amid Covid-19. I don’t think any additional measures are required. Whatever measures were introduced last year would be enough and may be followed this year too,” she said during a press briefing.
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo also informed reporters that the government has not taken any decision on whether people would be allowed to visit puja pandals at night. “The decision on people visiting Durga puja pandals at night will be taken later, depending on how the expected third wave of Covid-19 surfaces,” she said.
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The TMC-led Bengal government has also announced a grant of ₹50,000 to each Durga Puja committee to help them make up for the sponsorships that dried up due to the coronavirus pandemic. A 50% reduction in electricity tariffs and free licenses will also be given to puja committees, chief secretary HK Dwivedi said on Tuesday.
{{/usCountry}}The TMC-led Bengal government has also announced a grant of ₹50,000 to each Durga Puja committee to help them make up for the sponsorships that dried up due to the coronavirus pandemic. A 50% reduction in electricity tariffs and free licenses will also be given to puja committees, chief secretary HK Dwivedi said on Tuesday.
{{/usCountry}}Union health secretary Rajesh Bhushan had written to states urging them to impose local restrictions in order to curb mass gatherings during public celebrations of Onam, Ganesh Chaturthi, and Durga Puja. The health ministry cautioned states that mass gatherings have the potential to turn into super spreaders. "I would like to reiterate that any laxity in ensuring strict adherence to the five-fold strategy of 'Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate and Ensuring Covid-Appropriate Behaviour', may result in losing the impetus that our country has gained so far in managing the pandemic," Bhushan wrote to the states in August.
(With agency inputs)