Centre asks Tamil Nadu to cancel order allowing 100% occupancy in theatres

The Tamil Nadu government has suffered an embarrassment with the Union Home Ministry taking objection to its move to allow 100 per cent seating in theatres and calling it as dilution of orders issued by the Centre in December last year.

In a letter to Chief Secretary K Shanmugam written on January 5, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla said the state government should revise its January 4 order allowing 100 per cent seating in cinema theatres and multiplexes in view of Pongal festivities to bring it in line with Centre's order issued on December 28, 2020.

The Centre's order had capped the seating capacity at 50 per cent in theatres and multiplexes. The Tamil Nadu government's decision to allow 100 per cent seating invited much criticism from people in general and doctors in particular who said it would lead to another Covid-19 cluster.

The government's move was taken keeping in mind release of Master and Eeswaran by popular actors Vijay and T R Silambarasan. Vijay had personally met Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami last week and demanded that the government allow 100 per cent occupancy in theatres.

Pointing to the state government's order, Bhalla said the notification date January 4, 2021 amounts to dilution of guidelines issued by the Centre. “I would like to draw your kind attention to para 21 & 23 of the guidelines which state that the State/UT Governments shall not dilute these guidelines issued under the Disaster Management Act, 2005 in any manner and shall strictly enforce the same,” Bhalla said in the letter.

He also added that the Tamil Nadu government should revise its notification to bring it on line with the Centre's order and “inform compliance” to the ministry.