The State government’s decision to keep this year’s Dasara a simple affair due to the pandemic has been described as a “sensible move’’ by a section of the citizens while the stakeholders said it was on expected lines.
Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday has also stated that the Jamboo Savari will be restricted to the palace premises like last year, reinforcing the view that the tradition was not being compromised though the festivities will lack the grandeur.
But the decision has been welcomed on the grounds that it will help prevent a surge or a possible wave. It is better to have a low key Dasara so as to prevent mass congregation this year, said N.S. Rangaraju of INTACH. He said there was loss of life and people are in distress and allowing gathering of large number of people for 10 days will amount to inviting a disaster. He said the government has perhaps learnt from the traumatic experience of the second wave.
Nagapati, a tourism expert and author of books on the subject, said the government did not have any option either. But what is intriguing is that the political gatherings are being allowed while Dasara is being scaled down, he added.
However, one cannot fault the government as it would have been held responsible in case there was a surge and hence one has to endorse the decision though it is not gratifying, said Prof. Nagapati. Notwithstanding the economic fallout of keeping Dasara a simple affair, he said livelihood is important but so is life and hence the decision has to be welcomed, he added.
Meanwhile, the hospitality sector in the region which is dependent on tourism and has been badly mauled by the pandemic, will reiterate its demand for concessions in payment of property and commercial tax besides waiver in trade licence and electricity charges.
Narayana Gowda of Hotel Owners Association said that though the government announced that hotels and restaurants would be get a rebate in remitting property tax and power charges, it was never notified. “As the sector is completely dependent on tourists who have stopped coming due to COVID-19, we are unable to sustain ourselves let alone pay taxes’’, he said.
