With Durga Puja, the biggest annual festival in West Bengal, less than a month away, the Mamata Banerjee government on Thursday announced a slew of COVID-19-related guidelines for pandal organisations as well as for the people visiting the pandals. The government announced an amount of Rs 50,000 each as grant to be given to 28,000 Durga Puja committees in West Bengal. The amount has been doubled from the last year’s Rs 25,000.
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee directed that pandals need to be open from all four sides, adding “Hand sanitizers should be placed at entry points of pandals, and the wearing of masks to be mandatory. Physical distancing protocols should be adhered to at all public places.” However, this year no cultural programmes would be allowed at the pandals.
The West Bengal CM said, “I am requesting all to keep Durga puja pandal open and spacious. If sides…