Amid Covid threat, no guidelines yet for celebrating Vishwakarma Puja

GUWHATI/SILCHAR: With Vishwakarma Puja to be held on Thursday, the Assam government is yet to come up with a directive laying down guidelines on how to hold the celebrations amid the Covid-19 threat.
Even as some of the districts have imposed restrictions on gatherings during the festive occasion, no guidelines have been announced by the district administration in Guwahati and at the state level. Chief secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna refused to comment on any such guidelines which he said are yet to be published. Kamrup (Metropolitan) deputy commissioner Biswajit Pegu, on the other hand, said that the festival will be observed on a low-scale this time.
“This time, we have barred the entry of devotees inside the temple. They will be allowed to enter the premises only in batches of 20 to light up lamps,” said Jay Kanta Sarma, priest of the Vishwakarma Mandir located at Kamakhaya Gate in Guwahati.
“There is no buzz in the market ahead of Vishwakarma Puja. Compared to the yesteryears, the response from the buyers is expected to be lukewarm,” said Madhab Malakar, a flower-seller from Hajo.
Meanwhile, with the Mahalaya and Vishwakarma Puja to be celebrated on Thursday, the Cachar district administration has imposed strict restrictions in view of the Covid-19 crisis.
In an order issued to this effect here on Tuesday, deputy commissioner and chairperson of Cachar District Disaster Management Authority Keerthi Jalli stated that movement of more than three persons in a group on the roads on Mahalaya morning is restricted. Assembling of crowd at any place will not be allowed.
However, people can move on the roads in small groups comprising maximum of three persons. Wearing of masks and maintaining physical distancing have been made mandatory.
The order also stated that people will not be allowed to roam about or gather on both the bridges (old and new) on Barak river located at Sadarghat in Silchar from 9 am on Wednesday till 6 am on Friday. Entry will be strictly restricted at these bridges for preventing gathering.
On Vishwakarma Puja, congregations comprising more than 15 people at any place will not be allowed.
Distribution of wet food (prasad) will not be allowed by any puja organisers. However, packed dry ‘prasad’ can be distributed.