Maintain law & order, ensure Covid norms during fests: CM

Durga Puja pandals, Ramlila stages must not disrupt traffic, idols should be as small as possible, say home dept guidelines

UP RECORDED 17 FRESH CASES OF INFECTION IN THE LAST 24 HOURS AND THE STATE CURRENTLY HAD ONLY 198 ACTIVE COVID CASES

LUCKNOW: Chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday directed officials to ensure strict enforcement of government guidelines to maintain communal harmony, law and order and implement the Covid-19 protocol during the forthcoming festivals of Sharadiya Navratri

and Vijaya DashamiDussehra, besides the observance of Chehellum in the state.

The CM gave instructions in this regard while presiding over a meeting to review the Covid-19 situation here. The guidelines issued by the home department ask the district magistrates (DMs) and the police chiefs to see to it that any gathering of people does not outstrip the capacity of the religious place. They have been also told to put up barriers to check suspicious vehicles, arrange mobile patrolling in sensitive areas and take strict action against trouble-makers.

The guidelines say that while giving the permission for setting up of Durga Puja pandals, Ramlila stages, it must be kept

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

in mind that doing so did not disrupt the public traffic. They also say that idols should be installed at traditional but vacant places, and their size be as small as possible and must not exceed the capacity of the field.

“As far as possible, only small vehicles should be used to transport idols for immersion and only a small number of people should participate in the immersion ceremony and must also follow Covid-appropriate behaviour like wearing face mask and keeping physical distance,” they further stressed.

The chief minister reiterated that Covid infection had only weakened but its threat persisted.

He asked the officers concerned to maintain all alertness, caution, and safety.

The CM said that UP recorded 17 fresh cases of infection in the tests done in the last 24 hours and the state currently had only 198 active cases. On Covid vaccination, the chief minister said that the state had so far administered 9.41 crore doses.

The CM also added that out of 500 newly sanctioned oxygen plants, 423 were functional, while the remaining would become operational soon.