Durga Puja 2020: CM Mamata Banerjee issues SOP, cancels all cultural programmes this year

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday announced guidelines for the Durga Puja festival and requested all the organisers to keep the pandals open from all four sides for proper ventilation. The CM also cancelled the grand Durga Puja Carnival and all cultural programs ahead of the upcoming Durga Puja in view of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. 

While announcing the safety protocols, Banerjee said that the puja committee must provide sanitisers to all those people who will visit pandals and keep masks handy to give those who are not wearing it. Wearing a face mask is compulsory to all the people visiting the pandal, she said. Adding further she said that organising cultural programs at pandals won’t be allowed this year. 

The Chief Minister announced that “Durga Puja Carnival will not be organised this year". "Cultural programs inside the pandals are also not allowed in this year’s celebration", she added.

Mamata Banerjee further announced that the Durga Puja committees will get Rs 50,000 each as a grant from the state government and 80,000 hawkers will receive a one-time grant of Rs 2000 ahead of the Puja. Durga Puja is one of the biggest festivals celebrated in West Bengal and the week-long festivities will begin in the state from October 22.

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Here’s the list of Dos and Don’ts for Durga Puja 2020

1. No cultural programmes allowed this year during Durga puja.
2. Face masks are compulsory for all while visiting Durga Puja pandals. Hand sanitizers should be available at all entry and exit points.
3. Organisers must keep more volunteers to ensure COVID-19 safety protocols are being maintained. Banerjee also asked volunteers to wear face shields mandatorily.
4.  Keep sufficient slots for rituals like 'anjali' and 'sindoor khela'
5. Announcement of the mantras on the mic so that people can hear it from faraway places and playing of the mantras batch-wise.
6. During immersion, slots to be given to puja pandals to avoid gathering. Single window permission for Durga Puja will begin on October 2.
7. The fire brigades will not take any fees, no Kolkata Municipal Corporation fees (KMC), CESC (electricity) fees 50 per cent free for Durga Puja pandals.
8. Public announcement systems must be put in place at every pandal. Show Durga Puja virtually on large screens and announce prize on the virtual platform.

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