Gzb admin allows Ramlila, Durga Puja celebrations with restrictions

GHAZIABAD: The Ghaziabad administration has decided to allow Ramlila and Durga Puja celebrations this year in public places, but with a set of restrictions. Officials said that any such event can be organised only after permission is granted by the district administration, and no stalls and kiosks will be allowed at the event.

The Durga Puja celebrations have remained curtailed due to the Covid-19 pandemic since 2020.

“All the Covid-19 protocols should be put in place at an event site once the permission is granted. In case, the permission is for enclosed space, there should be a gathering of not more than 100 people at a single point of time while in open areas the permission would be for not more than 50% capacity of the ground,” said Vipin Kumar, additional district magistrate (city).

“At an event, Covid help desk should be put up at the entrance and no visitor would be allowed without a face mask. Besides, people should be following social distancing norms. For the permission, organisers will have to fill up a form and submit the same to the district magistrate office. They will also have to get other required approvals like the one from department of electrical safety,” the ADM added.

Organisers said that they are happy with the relaxations given by the UP government.

“This year the UP government has given relaxations. We were asked to follow the guidelines during a joint meeting of district officials with various organisers,” said Abhijit Roy, founder member of Prantic Cultural Society, Indirapuram.

“We have planned puja celebrations in a banquet hall. Our theme this year will be ‘Jeevan Utsav -- Let’s celebrate life’, which signifies that people are coming out and celebrating life after the issues they faced during the pandemic. This year, we will bring in artistes from West Bengal,” he added.

The staging of Ramlila was held regularly at Raj Nagar, but it could not be held in 2020 due to the Covid situation.

“This year too, Ramlila will not be held in our area. The guidelines issued with regard to the event will not suffice holding of Ramlila at a grand scale,” said Rajendra Tyagi, councillor from Raj Nagar.

The district administration officials said that the guidelines have been issued in accordance with the September 19 directions issued by the state government. In the directions, the government increased the capacity for events in open and closed areas .

At an event, Covid help desk should be put up at the entrance and no visitor would be allowed without a face mask.

VIPIN KUMAR, ADM (city)