HC makes Puja pandals no entry zones for visitors in Bengal

The Calcutta High Court has ordered that Durga puja pandals will be no-entry zones for visitors. Only organisers will be allowed inside the pandals, the court said, limiting the number to 25 for big pandals and 15 for the smaller ones in view of the coronavirus outbreak.  The order comes amid heightened fervour and enthusiasm among people to celebrate the five-day long Durga Puja festival, starting Tuesday.Underscoring the need for compliance in view of public health, the High Court said there are not enough policemen in Kolkata to man crowds at the city's pandals.  

Last month, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced plans to "put coronavirus in lockdown and hold the puja this year".In West Bengal, Durga Puja is celebrated in a grand manner with increased participation from the state government. Every year, nearly 37,000 pandals are set up and bring an economic boom. Throwing caution to the winds, they gathered at the city's shopping areas big and small. Social distancing rules went out of the window as they queued and jostled to get inside the shops. Masks were rarely worn. The wave of people on the streets triggered concern among health experts, who fear mass infection and a second wave of coronavirus in the state.On Sunday, the COVID-19 deaths in Bengal went past the 6,000-mark, with 64 more fatalities.The state also logged a record number of 3,983 fresh cases, which brought the total up to 3,21,036, showed data from the state health department.