Amid worries of a huge spike in Covid-19 cases in West Bengal after Durga Puja, the Calcutta High Court has said that insides of Durga Puja pandals will be no-entry zones for visitors.
NDTV reported that the Calcutta High Court has said only organisers will be allowed inside — only 25 in big pandals and 15 in the smalls ones.
The court has said that a list has to be put up of organisers who can go inside the pandals.
Counsel Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharya was quoted by The Indian Express as saying, “The court said no visitors will be allowed to enter into the pandals. Only some people from puja organisers will be allowed an entry. The police will have to ensure that such measures are maintained.”
The court said barricades have to be put up at the entrances of the pandals.
The newspaper reported that the court has said visitors would not be allowed within a 5-metre distance of small pandals and 10 metre for the big ones.
The high court gave the orders while hearing a PIL filed by Ajay Kumar.
West Bengal has about 37,000 Durga Puja committees of which 3,000 are in Kolkata. Often, people from across the state flock to Kolkata to celebrate Durga Puja.