Updated: October 20, 2020 1:50:09 pm
A sign in Bengali in front of the idol reads: “By the directive of the Honorable High Court, the entry of all visitors to our Puja mandap is prohibited – Committee Arjunpur Aamra Shobai Club Durga Puja.” (Express photo: Partha Paul)
The Calcutta High Court on Monday (October 19) ordered Durga Puja pandals in West Bengal will be off limits for visitors “In the public interest” after expressing fear that crowding during the holiday season could lead to an “uncontrollable” increase in the number of Covid-19 cases.
The order is applicable to more than 34,000 Durga Puja committees across the state, including more than 3,000 in Kolkata.
What did the Calcutta High Court say about Durga Puja?
While listening to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by one Ajay Kumar, a High Court divisional court, consisting of Justices Sanjib Banerjee and Arijit Banerjee, said that no one except select members of the bid organizing committee could enter the marquee of the pandals.
“In the public interest, all pandalos where Durga Puja is being held this year are no-entry zones for members of the public. Also, for the smallest pandals, a zone of five meters beyond the extremities of the pandals on all sides and, for the larger pandals, a zone of 10 meters beyond the extremities of the pandal on all sides will part of the non-entry zone. In other words, the area covered by the pandals and the additional area around the pandals that extends 5 m from the smallest pandals and 10 m from the largest pandals will have to be barricaded as a no-entry zone, ”said the bank at their discretion.
“The only exception would be for designated personnel, including the priest, who will be identified by the organizers of the bid in advance and whose names will be displayed for controls at any time. In smaller pandals, 15 people will be named on the list who can have access to the no-entry zone at all times. The number will be 25 to 30 with respect to the larger pandals. These instructions will apply to all public pandal bids throughout the state, including the 34,000 bids that have received state subsidies, ”he added. 📣 Click to follow Express Explained on Telegram
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Why is the Calcutta HC order important?
The Superior Court order came in the context of the increase in Covid-19 cases and deaths across the state. On Monday, the death toll in West Bengal reached 6,119 with a record number of new cases, 3,992, reported in one day, bringing the state’s bill to more than 3.25 lakh. In the past seven days, the state has reported 437 deaths from Covid-19 and more than 27,000 new cases.
The authorities were alarmed by the overcrowding of people in the markets and shopping centers before the festival. People without face masks were seen flouting social distancing norms and shoving each other while shopping at the last minute.
Even doctors expressed apprehension that if this continued, hospitals would run out of Covid beds for patients, leading to a total collapse of the state’s healthcare system.
On October 18, thousands of people packed the Shreebhumi Sporting Club Durga Puja after it was opened to the public. The footage showed that visitors were allowed to enter the pandal bidding in large numbers, while safety and security took a backseat.
This prompted the HC to clamp down on the festival this year. The order is intended to discourage the common citizen from herding pandales in an attempt to control the spread of the disease.
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A health worker wearing a protective suit disinfects an improvised Durga Puja pandal in southern Kolkata on October 13, 2020 (Express photo: Partha Paul).
What happens now?
Following the order, Forum for Durgatsab decided to file a petition for review with the HC. However, the state government has yet to decide whether to challenge HC’s order in the Supreme Court.
Durga Puja committees, on the other hand, have begun to lay out new plans for an alternative way to allow visitors to look at their idols. The puja committees that erect pandals in public parks and playgrounds have an advantage in redesigning their panda designs. According to the court order, they have the option to move the barricades and open the pandal further, allowing a better view of the idol from a distance.
However, for committees raising pandalos on narrow streets and in congested areas, the challenge is much greater. As the court has said that visitors cannot enter the tent, this limits these organizers from displaying their idols and artisans’ works of art, as visitors entering from one side and exiting the other usually see their pandales. .
Several committees have already decided to broadcast the bid live on their websites and social networks. Some have decided to install giant screens outside their pandals to allow visitors to see the idols. However, the Durga Puja experience will not be the same for pandal hoppers and those who participate in puja rituals, such as offering Anjali at Ashtami (8th day of Durga Puja).
What are the consequences?
The court order deals a severe blow to small businesses, such as food stalls, which are often set up near pandals during the festival. Without visitors, they are likely to encounter heavy losses. Advertisers too, who have reserved spaces in and around puja pandals, will incur losses.
However, as there are no restrictions outside of the pandals, it remains to be seen if people still crowd into the pandals in an attempt to see the idols from afar.
Additionally, there can be immense pressure on restaurants and shopping malls to accommodate more people. Once the puja pandals are denied entry, visitors are likely to gather around those venues to soak up the festive spirit. Movie theaters, which reopened on October 15, are also likely to do good business. All of this will have a profound impact on city traffic, as there will be overcrowding in the streets.
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