Three days after Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray announced that there would not be any “Dahi handi” celebrations this year, the Centre has advised the Maharashtra Government to impose and enforce “restrictions” during the forthcoming festivals and mass gatherings.
In a letter written to State chief Secretary Sitaram Kunte late on Friday night, through Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan stated, “In view of mass events and public gathering expected during celebration of upcoming festivals ( including Dahi handi and Ganapati Utsav)in Maharashtra, it is advised that the state may consider imposing and enforcing local restrictions in public observation of theses festivals and mass gatherings”.
As part of the advisory, Bhushan cited the concerns expressed by the Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) over such mass-gathering events turning into ‘super-spreader events’, thereby resulting in a spike in Covid case and said that the same was communicated to the states on July 20.
“This is particularly important in view of circulation of more transmissible variants of concern being reported by various states, including Maharashtra,” Bhushan said.
”Any laxity in ensuring strict adherence to the five-fold strategy of “Test-Track-Treat-vaccinate and ensuring Covid-19 appropriate behaviour may result in losing the impetus that Maharashtra and country has gained so far in managing the pandemic,
Meanwhile, Maharashtra Health Minister Rajesh Tope has said has warned that there would three million cases, which would be the 2-million recorded during the ‘first-wave’ in 2020 and much higher than the 4-million recorded during the ‘second-wave’ this year.
It may be recalled that even before a formal advisory about the need to impose Covid-19 restrictions in the affected areas of Maharashtra, Uddhav said the State Government would not grant permission for this year’s Dahi Handi festival that falls on August 30. This is the second consecutive year the celebrations have been cancelled owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.
During a meeting held on Monday last, the CM requested the festival organisers to prioritise public health amid an ongoing pandemic and suggested that large scale public celebrations should be avoided. Senior Government officials, members of the task force and the representatives of the Dahi Handi Samnvay Samiti attended the meeting.
“We all have the same feelings about the festival, but today’s priority is saving people’s lives. For the past one-and-a-half years, we have been fighting against Covid-19 and hence, we have to follow some restrictions. Some people speak against the curbs. Instead of agitating against the Government, they should fight against Covid-19,” Uddhav had said.