Bengaluru: Despite Covid third wave is looming around, the state government is contemplating to allow public celebration of Ganesha Chaturthi on a conditional basis.

After chairing a meeting with Covid technical team here on Monday, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai has asked all Deputy Commissioners and Superintendent of Police to hold a meeting with organizers who conduct the public celebration of Ganesha Chaturthi, gathering 2000 to 3000 people. 

Suppose organizers are adhering to the covid norms and regulations. In that case, the government will consider allowing public celebrations of the Ganesha festival after holding one more round of meeting on September 5, said Revenue Minister R. Ashok after the meeting.

Mega public celebrations of Ganesh festivals have been conducted in Belagavi, Dharwad, Hubballi, Chitradurga, Davangere; organizers have sought permission to hold public celebrations. Even political parties and right-wing organizations have demanded the government to hold permission to celebrate the Ganesha festival. 

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Considering public health and safety, the government is mulling over to permit for public celebrations of the festival by imposing certain conditions, Mr. Ashok said and he added that his government has a positive approach in this matter. 

However, in Kerala Covid cases has surged after it allowed for public gathering during Onam and Bhakrid and it has received the severe criticism for allowing public gathering during festivals. 

Notwithstanding the surging Covid cases in Kerala, the Karnataka government is contemplating giving permission to hold a public celebration of the Ganesha festival, but it said that conditions will be applied. 

Choultry ( convention halls) will be allowed to conduct marriages 

Choultries across the state are allowed to conduct marriages and other social functions by adhering to covid norms. Choultry owners have demanded the government to open the choultry to conduct marriage functions. In the meeting, the government has decided to allow the choultries to open with a capacity of 50 percent people or within the limit of 400 members. 

Besides Dakshina Kannada, Kodagu, Udupi and Hasana, night curfew has been lifted in Chikamagaluru, Mysuru, Shivamogga, Kolar and Kalaburgi, where the positive rate is recorded below 1.5 percent. However, restrictions will be continued in four districts, those sharing the Kerala border. 

Institutional quarantine for one week will be strictly implemented for the students who are coming from Kerala and they should also bring Covid negative reports to enter Karnataka, Mr. Ashok said. 

In the meeting, technical committee members comprising Health Minister Dr. K.Sudhakar, Dr. Devi Shetty, Dr. C.N. Manjunath, DG and IGP, Praveen Sood, Dr. Sudarshan, Ministers, R. Ashok, S.T. Somashekar, H. Nagesh, Chief Secretary Ravikumar were present.