No Chhath Puja Celebrations In Public Places For Second Year

DDMA Allows Ramlila, Durga Puja Festivities With Curbs

- Alok KN Mishra

New Delhi: Delhi Disaster Management Authority has banned Chhath Puja celebrations in public places, including at riverbanks, ponds, temples and public grounds in view of the pandemic. In an order on Thursday, DDMA, however, allowed public performances for Ramlila and the celebrations of Durga Puja and Dussehra subject to Covid-appropriate behaviour.

Chhath puja is celebrated by people from Bihar, Jharkhand and eastern Uttar Pradesh. This year, the festival will span four days from November 8 to 11. Last year, Chhath and all festivals were banned due to Covid. With the pandemic at a low at present, DDMA has relaxed the ban on gatherings in public till November 15. Delhi government has issued a detailed standard operating procedure, which prohibits fairs, food stalls and other crowd-pulling activities to prevent crowds and to facilitate social distancing.

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The government should strictlyimplement social distancing and other protocols for those festivals which have been allowed limited public celebration. This is also imperative to signal clearly that the differential treatment of festivals is not because of any arbitrariness or discrimination but because of good public health reasons.

DDMA has instructed district magistrates and the deputy commissioners of police to permit festival events only after ascertaining that the venues are suitable for the conduct of the event while following Covid safety norms. The authorities have also been asked to revoke the permission if they detect violations of the norms.