Tripura govt bans bursting of firecrackers during Diwali

AGARTALA:

The Tripura government on Monday issued guidelines, including a ban on bursting of firecrackers, and strict adherence to social distancing norms during Diwali, an official said.

The Department of Science, Technology, and Environment, has issued a guideline banning the bursting of firecrackers amid the pandemic and said that strict penal measures would be taken against violators.

A guideline issued by Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar said that the state government has also issued restrictions under the Disaster Management Act, 2005, which made social distancing, the prohibition of gathering or mela in front of any Kali temple mandatory in the state.

The state government has issued a special guideline on festivities at Tripurasundari Temple at Udaipur city, in Gomati district, where about two lakh devotees gather during Kali Puja every year.

The temple is considered to be one of the 51 Hindu 'Shakti Peethas' or holy shrines in the country.

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As Kali Puja is observed during Diwali, organisers have been asked to limit the height of the idol to five feet and perform puja in open space as far as possible to ensure darshan of the deity from a safe distance.

A maximum of five devotees would be allowed to enter a pandal at a time and they will have to maintain a distance of at least one metre between them.

Processions during the immersion of idols have been banned.

Meanwhile, the Chief Minister has launched organic bamboo diyas (lamps) on November 6 to replace candles during Diwali festivities.

The northeastern state has 3,246 sq km of bamboo forests. (PTI)