Calcutta High Court Sets Broad Guidelines for Chhat Puja, Asks State to Strictly Enforce Ban on Crackers [READ ORDER]

Amidst the corona virus pandemic and the approaching festival season, some decisions were taken by the Calcutta High Court. 

Specially keeping in mind the State of West Bengal, the following guidelines were given by the Calcutta High court comprising the bench of Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Arijit Banerjee on November 10,2020 for the event of Chhat Puja and the State Government were given the responsibility to implement it properly. 

It was laid down that-

1. Only two members from one family will be allowed to go to the water bodies and the rest will have to celebrate Puja at home.
2. No one will be allowed to make noise pollution in any form.
3. All the people coming to the water bodies will be bound to wear masks.
4. No one will be allowed to sell or purchase fire crackers and cause pollution.

The court also gave certain directions to the State Government and the police officers as follows-

1. It asked the state government to decide whether it would be good to suspend local trains for 2 days on November 14 and November 15,2020.
2. It asked the police to take immediate action if anyone is found doing anything against the guidelines.
3. It also directed the State police to put their telephone numbers everywhere across the city so that any person wishing to make any complaint can easily do it.
4. Lastly it gave the State the power to exercise it’s jurisdiction given to it under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure if it finds it difficult to control the crowd of the people.

[READ ORDER]