Director-General of Police D. Gautam Sawang has said that there is no permission for celebrating Ganesh Navarathri Utsavams at public places, and devotees are requested to celebrate the festival with family members.
“The government has extended the COVID-19 norms till September 30. We request the public to celebrate the festival by taking COVID precautions,” Mr. Sawang told The Hindu on Friday.
There is no permission for erecting pandals, organising pujas at public places, distributing ‘prasadams’, using loud speakers, arranging lighting systems, organising processions, performing ‘Nimajjajams’ and conducting cultural programmes.
The Ganesh utsav committees, apartments and residents welfare associations and the temple managements have been requested to celebrate festival in adherence to the COVID-19 norms, the police official said.
Eluru Range Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police K. V. Mohan Rao said that government has issued guidelines on restricting Vinayaka Chaturdhi Utsavams. Instructions have been given to the SPs, ASPs, DSPs and other officers to take measures to implement the orders, the DIG said.
West Godavari district Superintendent of Police (SP) Rahul Dev Sharma said that devotees are requested to prevent gatherings, take precautions to prevent the spread of COVID.
Krishna district SP Siddharth Kaushal appealed to the public to celebrate the festival by following the COVID norms, and all steps are being taken to prevent the spread of the disease.
“We request the public not to take any kind of processions, cause traffic jams and cooperate the police in implementing the COVID-19 protocol,” said Mr. Sharma.
