KOLKATA: Acting on a state health department advisory, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation has advised housing societies not to organise any gathering in their complexes during Dol and Holi.
Several city clubs that were mulling over Holi parties have also dropped their plans and are restricting the celebration to a pre-festival musical evening for only members.
With Covid-19 cases again on the rise, doctors expressed concern over a spurt in infection if Dol and Holi are played as it involves physical contact in smearing colour. Last year, too, Dol and Holi celebrations were cancelled in the city as it was feared that the festival would trigger a spike in Covid-19 cases.
“We have communicated the state health department’s directive to housing societies. We will keep a vigil on the housing societies as resurgence of Covid-19 cases will pose far greater challenges,” said a senior official of the KMC health department.
Residents of the prominent housing complexes in the city have agreed to abide by the rules.
At Silver Spring, rain dance — a popular Holi event organised by them every year — has been scrapped. Restrictions have been placed on even smearing of abir. “We have cancelled all pre-scheduled Holi programmes except for the community lunch,” said Indranil Chowdhury, secretary of the Silver Spring Residents Association.
At South City too, all Holi plans have been dropped. “We had gala celebration plans but with cases on the rise, we have dropped them,” said Manak Daga, president of South City Residents Welfare Association.
Clubs, too, will be asked not to hold Holi parties, a KMC official said. Several city clubs that TOI spoke to said they had dropped plans for a Holi party and were instead organising a musical evening prior on Dol-eve.
“We have been following Covid protocols and had hoped the cases would reduce by Holi. As the cases are increasing in other cities, it would have been unwise to go ahead with the celebrations. Though we are yet to receive any KMC notice, we are only holding a pre-Holi musical evening, in which only club members will be allowed to participate,” said Calcutta Rowing Club secretary, Chandan Roy Chowdhury.
Next door, Lake Club has also decided to follow suit. “The situation is not conducive to hold a Holi party. So a low-key musical evening is all we plan to do this time,” said club secretary, Subrata Guha.
Tollygunge Club, on the other hand, will not even host a social function. “Being a sporting club, Holi was never a big event here. But this time, we will do nothing,” said club CEO, Anil Mukerji.