Will Dahi Handi be allowed? CM Uddhav Thackeray to take a decision today
Dahi Handi coordination committees have said they would form small pyramids and allow a limited number of participants, who are fully vaccinated.
Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray will on Monday hold a meeting with coordination committees that organise Dahi Handi programmes in Mumbai to take a call on allowing the celebrations during the upcoming Janmashtami festival amid the coronavirus pandemic. According to news agency ANI, Uddhav Thackeray will virtually hold the meeting after several Dahi Handi mandals requested the state government to allow them to hold the celebrations saying they will keep it small scale.
The chief minister is expected to appeal mandals to cooperate with the authorities by following restrictions. The state government may issue an SOP for the Dahi Handi mandals, including rules on restrictions on the height of human pyramids and the number of people to be allowed.
Also read | Maharashtra issues Ganeshotsav guidelines amid Covid situation
Earlier this month, members of Dahi Handi coordination committees met state minister Aaditya Thackeray and said they would form small pyramids and allow a limited number of participants, who are fully vaccinated. They also said that since Ganeshotsav has been allowed to be held on a small scale, the government can give permission for Dahi Handi as well.
Last year, many mandals cancelled the celebrations amid the coronavirus pandemic and government restrictions.
Also read | Covid: Lalbaugcha Raja Mandal to celebrate Ganesh Charturthi in traditional way
“We will definitely celebrate the festival. However, the scale of the celebration will depend on the relaxations granted,” the Bharatiya Janata Party’s legislator, Ram Kadam, was quoted as saying by Mid Day.
The Maharashtra government has issued a number of guidelines, including capping the height of Lord Ganesha idols, during Ganeshotsav, which will begin from September 10. The government has said no crowding for ‘aarti’ will be allowed but has not given a nod for processions.
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