AHMEDABAD: A complex issue confronts authorities in this festival season even as Covid numbers are surging.
Police on Monday morning had to detain 18 people on the Sabarmati riverfront, as Covid caution — both social distancing and masks — were thrown to the wind. Families from all over the city had gathered on the riverfront’s Naranghat to offer prayers on Monday, the start of the 10-day observances for Goddess Dashama’s blessings.
The holy Shravan month begins from Tuesday. “Many people had fasted ahead of Shravan and had come to the riverfront to perform rituals for Goddess Dashama,” a senior police official said. “Others were performing the ‘pind daan’ of the cremated remains of their loved ones. Many had not worn masks and had violated the social-distancing norm.”
Every Monday of the Shravan month is likely to bring crowds to the Shiva temples in the city. Yet a policy for festivals is yet to be properly communicated to people. “Rakshabandhan and Janmashtami will need the state intervention and a special plan to prevent the transmission of the infection,” said a senior AMC official.
This year, however, police were able to convince people to avoid observing the ‘Chamunda Divaso’ at the Chamunda crematorium. That is the day when ancestors are remembered; this year, it fell on Monday. The event normally draws thousands of people from across the city.
As for the riverfront events, the Riverfront East Police detained the 18 persons after they ignored a series of health warnings from police patrols. Police sources said that all the 18 have been detained under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code for disobeying a public servant’s order. The Disaster Management Act has also been invoked. “The government notification clearly states that programmes involving more than 50 people are not allowed during the pandemic,” a police source said.
Inspector Neeraj Patel of the Riverfront East police station told reporters that during the immersion of Dashama idols, people will have to follow the Covid guidelines and not gather on the riverfront.
Risks at Gatherings
The higher the number of people one meets and longer the duration of interactions, the greater the risk becomes of contracting the infection
The higher the level of community transmission in an area where the gathering is being held, the higher the risk of Covid spreading during the gathering.
The size of an event or gathering should be determined based on micro-containment strategies already in place.
Police on Monday morning had to detain 18 people on the Sabarmati riverfront, as Covid caution — both social distancing and masks — were thrown to the wind. Families from all over the city had gathered on the riverfront’s Naranghat to offer prayers on Monday, the start of the 10-day observances for Goddess Dashama’s blessings.
The holy Shravan month begins from Tuesday. “Many people had fasted ahead of Shravan and had come to the riverfront to perform rituals for Goddess Dashama,” a senior police official said. “Others were performing the ‘pind daan’ of the cremated remains of their loved ones. Many had not worn masks and had violated the social-distancing norm.”
Every Monday of the Shravan month is likely to bring crowds to the Shiva temples in the city. Yet a policy for festivals is yet to be properly communicated to people. “Rakshabandhan and Janmashtami will need the state intervention and a special plan to prevent the transmission of the infection,” said a senior AMC official.
This year, however, police were able to convince people to avoid observing the ‘Chamunda Divaso’ at the Chamunda crematorium. That is the day when ancestors are remembered; this year, it fell on Monday. The event normally draws thousands of people from across the city.
As for the riverfront events, the Riverfront East Police detained the 18 persons after they ignored a series of health warnings from police patrols. Police sources said that all the 18 have been detained under Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code for disobeying a public servant’s order. The Disaster Management Act has also been invoked. “The government notification clearly states that programmes involving more than 50 people are not allowed during the pandemic,” a police source said.
Inspector Neeraj Patel of the Riverfront East police station told reporters that during the immersion of Dashama idols, people will have to follow the Covid guidelines and not gather on the riverfront.
Risks at Gatherings
The higher the number of people one meets and longer the duration of interactions, the greater the risk becomes of contracting the infection
The higher the level of community transmission in an area where the gathering is being held, the higher the risk of Covid spreading during the gathering.
The size of an event or gathering should be determined based on micro-containment strategies already in place.
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