Guidelines for Diwali and Kalipuja: No bursting of firecrackers in public places in Jharkhand

Ranchi: The state government on Tuesday came out with a fresh set of guidelines to celebrate the festival of Diwali and Kalipuja as per which no bursting of firecrackers has been permitted in public places.

As per the guidelines issued by the Home Prison and Disaster Management Department regarding the bursting of firecrackers in private places a separate order shall be issued in accordance with the order of the National green tribunal principal bench New Delhi issued on November 9.

As per the guidelines Kali puja may generally be performed at temples or privately at home by the devotees to the extent possible Puja may also be performed in a specially erected small Pandal/Mandap where it has been done traditionally. Further, the pandals shall be barricaded on all the sides in a way to prevent the entry of public inside the Pandal and only organizers up to a maximum strength of 15 people are permitted inside the barricaded pandal.

General public devotees may perform darshan from outside the barricade while wearing mask and maintaining social distance of 6 feet between two individuals. Further specific marking of six feet apart shall be made by those in charge of the Puja pandal to ensure social distancing on the other hand there shall not be any decoration by lighting in the area around the Puja pandal and no welcome Gate shall be erected in around the venues.

Barring the area where the idol is placed rest of the Puja pandal shall be open to air, the use of public address system may be permitted for live broadcast of chanting of Mantra/Paath/Aarti up to the limit of 55 decibels only during the daytime that too outside of hundred-meter vicinity of courts and hospitals.

The guidelines further said that there shall be no broadcast of taped audio digital recording through the public address system. The government has clearly said that no fair or Mela shall be organised on the occasion and no food stall shall be opened in and around the Mandap.

On the other hand, there shall be no immersion procession and the idols will be immersed at a place approved by the district administration for the purpose. There shall be no music or any other entertainment program and no community feast prasad bhog distribution functions are to be organised, no invitation shall be also issued in any form by the organisers of the Puja committee and even functions related to inauguration of the pandals would not be held.