HC bans entry for visitors in Durga Puja pandals in West Bengal 

The Calcutta High Court on Monday (October 19) said there will be no entry for visitors in pandals set up across West Bengal as part of Durga Puja celebrations, in view of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The high court ruling comes a day after Union health minister Harsh Vardhan said states should take lessons from the rapid spread of the pandemic after the Onam celebrations in Kerala. He said states should be careful while planning for the festival season.

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The high court said the number of people in big pandals should be restricted to 25, while in small pandals, it shouldn’t be more than 15. Only the organisers should be allowed to enter them, it said.

It is estimated that there are 34,000 pandals in the state for Durga Puja.

The court also said that pandals must be barricaded from all sides to prevent entry of visitors. The barricades should be set up five metres away from small pandals and 10 metres away for big ones, the court said.   

The court pointed out that there aren’t sufficient police personnel to guard the 3,000 odd pandals in capital Kolkata.

Health experts in the state have warned of a sarge in COVID cases as people throng markets ahead of the Durga Puja that starts on October 22.   

On Sunday, health minister Vardhan said that Kerala, where there has been sudden spike in cases after months of relatively low numbers, was paying the price for “gross negligence” during Onam celebrations. 

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“Other states should learn a lesson from Kerala’s spurt in Covid cases due to negligence during the Onam season. All states need to be careful during the festival season and ensure COVID-appropriate behaviour is followed diligently. Else, it may result in rapid increase in cases,” he said.