Ahead of Ganeshotsav, the Vasai Virar Municipal Corporation (VVMC) has decided to waive off the fee required for permission and fire brigade charges for Ganpati pandals in Vasai-Virar.
According to a report by Hindustan Times, VVMC on Saturday waived off a Rs 4,500 fee required for permission and fire brigade charges for Ganpati pandals. The VVMC waived off fees after Nallasopara MLA Kshitij Thakur appealed to chief minister (CM) Uddhav Thackeray to waive the same in view of the coronavirus pandemic.
Kshitij Thakur told the leading that mandal volunteers have not been able to venture out to collect donations due to coronavirus pandemic, and as a result, they are running short on money. “In view of this, I requested the CM to waive off the permission and processing fees on humanitarian grounds,” said Thakur told the leading daily.
One of the biggest festivals of Mumbai, the Ganesh Chaturthi, will not be celebrated like earlier years in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. Amid coronavirus pandemic, all the municipal corporations have released a set of guidelines to be followed by the mandals and the devotees for Ganeshotsav celebrations. The civic body asked people to follow all the safety protocols including the usage of masks, shields, hand sanitisers and following social distancing norms. It also urged people to avoid participating in big processions to protect their families from COVID-19.
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