Bengaluru : The Karnataka government has decided on Covid safety protocols to be followed during the upcoming five-day Ganesh Chaturthi festivities.

As per a new order, only a maximum of 20 people will be allowed for the celebrations and immersion of the Ganesha idol. In addition to this, no celebrations will be allowed after 9 pm.

The government had also said that no procession will be allowed for the festivities. Only eco-friendly Ganesha idols should be used for celebrations, where the distribution of food and prasad will be prohibited.

No function will take place for Ganesh Chaturthi in districts where the positivity rate is above 2%.

The Karnataka cabinet had said on Saturday that state Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai will call a meeting to decide on relaxing Covid-induced restrictions on Ganesha festival.

“The chief minister has been authorised to call a meeting (of experts and officials) and take a decision regarding Ganesha festival celebrations,” said law and parliamentary affairs minister JC Madhuswamy.

He informed that Bommai would speak with deputy commissioners and superintendents of police of various districts to vet the Covid-19 infection rate in their areas.

Several organisations and political leaders, mostly from the BJP and those with Sangh Parivar background, had been mounting pressure on the state government to ease the curbs on the festival.

Citing Covid-19, the government had, earlier, banned the celebration of the festival in public and said the people can celebrate in their houses.

Karnataka Covid restrictions

The state government had earlier this week decided to ease night curfew regulations in most areas except four districts – Kodagu, Hassan, Dakshina Kannada and Udupi — which are sharing its borders with Kerala.

Moreover, the state also tightened the quarantine rules for passengers from Kerala. In a fresh order, the government said that one-week institutional quarantine and testing after seven days, irrespective of vaccination or negative RTPCR report, is compulsory for people coming from Kerala.

Guidelines for immersing Ganesha idols

* Ganesha idols must be environment-friendly and can be kept only for a maximum of five days until it is immersed in water

* Specific locations will be allocated for the immersion of the Ganesha Idol in cities

* Special squads who can swim well to immerse the idol will be appointed, and nobody other than them will be allowed to enter the water.

* Additionally, public processions and the use of musical instruments while taking the idol for the immersion will not be allowed.