<p>Limiting Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations to five days and prohibiting cultural programmes and processions taken out, the Karnataka government issued guidelines for the celebration of the festival on Sunday.</p>.<p>Speaking to reporters, Revenue Minister R Ashoka said that the government will allow only one Ganesha pandal per ward in urban areas. "We have granted conditional permission for the celebrations," he said.</p>.<p>In rural areas, pandals can be set up with permission from local authorities. All organisers should have a vaccination certificate and Covid negative report, according to the guidelines.</p>.<p>They were issued following a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, with ministers and experts over the measures required to curb the spread of the pandemic during the festival.</p>.<p>At all public Ganesha pandals, the premises should be sufficient to accommodate only 20 people. Organisers should make sure that the number of devotees does not exceed 20 at any moment during the five day period, the circular said.</p>.<p>According to Ashoka, a pandal can come up in an area of 50x50 feet. The government has also barred all cultural events and DJ programmes organised on account of the festival. It has restricted the height of Ganesh idols to four feet at public programmes and two feet at residences.</p>.<p>"Processions are not allowed either when installing the Ganesha idol or while during visarjan. Processions are completely banned," the guidelines issued by Tushar Girinath, Principal Secretary, Revenue Department (Disaster Management) said.</p>.<p>Only a 'small number of people' will be allowed to take the idol for visarjan. All public places and temples where Ganesha idols are installed will have to be sanitised on a daily basis.</p>.<p>Arrangements should be made to provide sanitisers and thermal screening for devotees. All events at Ganesh pandals should end at 9 pm, in accordance with the night curfew regulations.</p>.<p>Arrangements for Ganesh visarjan will be made by local authorities at dedicated spots in both urban and rural areas. Mobile tanks will also be pressed into service.</p>.<p>Any violation of the guidelines will attract penal provisions under the Disaster Management Act 2005 and section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, the circular added. The guidelines came amidst pressure from BJP leaders and various groups to allow full-fledged celebrations during the festival.</p>
<p>Limiting Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations to five days and prohibiting cultural programmes and processions taken out, the Karnataka government issued guidelines for the celebration of the festival on Sunday.</p>.<p>Speaking to reporters, Revenue Minister R Ashoka said that the government will allow only one Ganesha pandal per ward in urban areas. "We have granted conditional permission for the celebrations," he said.</p>.<p>In rural areas, pandals can be set up with permission from local authorities. All organisers should have a vaccination certificate and Covid negative report, according to the guidelines.</p>.<p>They were issued following a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, with ministers and experts over the measures required to curb the spread of the pandemic during the festival.</p>.<p>At all public Ganesha pandals, the premises should be sufficient to accommodate only 20 people. Organisers should make sure that the number of devotees does not exceed 20 at any moment during the five day period, the circular said.</p>.<p>According to Ashoka, a pandal can come up in an area of 50x50 feet. The government has also barred all cultural events and DJ programmes organised on account of the festival. It has restricted the height of Ganesh idols to four feet at public programmes and two feet at residences.</p>.<p>"Processions are not allowed either when installing the Ganesha idol or while during visarjan. Processions are completely banned," the guidelines issued by Tushar Girinath, Principal Secretary, Revenue Department (Disaster Management) said.</p>.<p>Only a 'small number of people' will be allowed to take the idol for visarjan. All public places and temples where Ganesha idols are installed will have to be sanitised on a daily basis.</p>.<p>Arrangements should be made to provide sanitisers and thermal screening for devotees. All events at Ganesh pandals should end at 9 pm, in accordance with the night curfew regulations.</p>.<p>Arrangements for Ganesh visarjan will be made by local authorities at dedicated spots in both urban and rural areas. Mobile tanks will also be pressed into service.</p>.<p>Any violation of the guidelines will attract penal provisions under the Disaster Management Act 2005 and section 188 of the Indian Penal Code, the circular added. The guidelines came amidst pressure from BJP leaders and various groups to allow full-fledged celebrations during the festival.</p>
