Indore: Here is sad news for garba lovers. There won’t be any garba events. Plus, no religious procession can be taken out this year.
With festive season setting in, district collector Manish Singh on Friday issued prohibitory orders for ensuring strict adherence of COVID-19 guidelines to check the spread of coronavirus infection through religious, cultural, political etc gathering.
The orders have been issued under Section-144 of Criminal Procedure Code-1973.
Action will be taken against those who violate the orders issued under Section 188 of Indian Penal Code. Violation will come under the category of punishable offence. Remaining orders and relaxations given from time to time will remain in force.
As per the orders, the earlier restrictions regarding the height of the statue/Tazia to be installed at various places in the entire Indore district have been removed. The size of the pandal is fixed to a maximum of 30X45 feet. It has been said in the order that the tableau makers will not set up and display their tableaux in narrow streets where crowds of devotees/spectators are unable to adhere to social distancing norm.
Organisers will have to ensure that the crowd of devotees / spectators do not gather at the tableau venue and social distancing is to be followed. The idol immersion will be done by the respective organising committee.
Maximum 10 persons allowed for idol immersion
Only a maximum group of 10 persons will be allowed to take the idol to the immersion site. It will be mandatory to obtain permission for this. Keeping in mind the COVID-19 situation, it will not be permissible to carry out a procession of any religious/social event. Even mass immersion will not be allowed. Garba will not be organised.
Regarding loudspeaker, the orders state that guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court will be binding to all. That is, there will be a ban on playing loudspeakers from 10 pm to 6 am. Prior to Ravana Dahan, permission will be given to carry out token Ram chal samaroh. Besides, Ravan Dahan and Ramlila programmes will be permitted on the condition of people wearing face masks and maintain social distancing in the open ground.
In connection with social and educational / sports / entertainment / cultural / political / Ramlila and Ravana Dahan etc programmes in Indore district permission will be granted keeping the size of the field for the above programmes in mind.
Other Covid-19 rules will also have to be adhered to.
For permission to organise such programmes, the organiser has to submit an application in writing, in which it is necessary to mention the date, time, place and possible number of events. After consideration, written permission will be provided for the programme, in which the organiser concerned will be responsible for following the mentioned number and conditions. Videographers of the above types of events must necessarily make the organisers a copy of the same within 48 hours of the end of the event to the concerned SDM /returning officer.
In places where devotees congregate in the closed hall or hall of religious places, the maximum limit may be fixed by the concerned SDM on the basis of total available space, thus ensuring two-yards distance between the devotees in the available space. Worship/Archana can be done. But in any case, the said number will not exceed 200 at a time.
