The Durga Puja 2021 is set to commence from October 11 this year across the country, and many states have decided to issue a list of guidelines for its celebration, keeping in mind the COVID-19 pandemic. The West Bengal government has also decided to follow a similar suit.
The government of West Bengal issued a detailed press release, which contained guidelines for the safe celebrations of Durga Puja 2021 amid the current pandemic situation. The guidelines include big, spacious pandals and cancellation of immersion carnivals for this year.
Apart from this, the government of West Bengal had made the usage of sanitisers and masks mandatory inside the pandal. All the devotees are expected to maintain proper social distance and cultural programmes have been banned to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
West Bengal guidelines for Durga Puja 2021
- The pandals for Durga Puja 2021 need to be spacious and open to make sure that there is proper social distancing. The pandals also need to have separate entry and exit points.
- All the devotees need to wear masks inside the pandal and use hand sanitisers regularly to make sure that proper hygiene is maintained.
- The puja organizers have been asked to keep volunteers in the vicinity to make sure that everyone is adhering to the COVID-19 norms.
- The government has said that cultural programmes will not be allowed inside or near the Durga Puja pandal this year.
- The state government has further said that the inauguration and immersion ceremonies should be kept low-key this year, and no elaborate programmes with large crowds should be organized.
- An online permission system should be set in place to make sure that only a limited number of people enter the pandals.
- A strict ban has been imposed on carnivals and melas inside or near the Durga Puja pandal, to prevent overcrowding.
- The state government will help puja organizers in several ways such as providing concessional power, state fire services, financial assistance and support from the local bodies free of cost.
- The organizers have also been asked to space out the celebration of Durga Puja over a large number of days to make sure that large crowds are not drawn in a single day.
