KOLKATA: Vijayadashami marks the end of four days of Durga Puja festivities on Friday. The ambience in the city is anxious. However, the Puja celebration this year has left back certain burning questions. Whether the pouring crowds on the streets of Kolkata during the festive days will lead to another round of Covid super-spreader?
Experts in the field says, that the most urgent requirement for the festive days was self-restraint both on part of the administration and common people. But sadly that self-restraint was missing for the last few days mainly on part of the people in general. Visitors' movements at a particular Puja pandal had to be stopped by police. Now the question that appears is that after witnessing a procession of death for almost the last two years, how could common people be so unaware of the threats of a possible post-Puja super-spreader?
Physicians feel that the next seven days will be indications of the extent of the adverse impact of these pouring crowds at these community Puja pandals. It is not a distant past that the people have witnessed the crisis situations like lack of oxygen, lack of beds in hospitals, rush from one hospital to the other and the procession of deaths.
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Physicians also hold political leaders and ministers responsible for this tragic scene. "The manner in which the politicians, including ministers, had been attempting to allure crowds to their respective pandals, was not acceptable from elected public representatives like them," said a top physician on strict condition of anonymity.
Speaking on this issue veteran Trinamool Congress leader and Panchayat Minister Subrata Mukherjee said they have tried to follow health protocols as per the Calcutta High Court order to the best of their abilities.
"Actually, the people in general also cannot be blamed. They were really tired and frustrated being totally home-bound for the last one and half years. So they wanted to enjoy this Puja as much as possible. To be frank, the police or the administration cannot really stop the crowd. Yes, I agree that unless bigger public awareness is there such things cannot be brought fully under control," he said.
BJP leader, Sajal Ghosh, who is the principal patroniser of a popular Puja in central Kolkata to an extent agreed with Subrata Mukherjee. "If common people rush to attend my pujas it is impossible for me to stop them, be it as a puja organiser or a political leader. However, the state government cannot shy away from the responsibilities. The relaxation in night curfew during the Puja days gave a feeling among people that everything is under control," he said.
City-based physician, Dr Udipta Sen also believes that no High Court order or administrative efforts can restrict pouring crowds unless the people themselves are conscious. "The example of a post-Onam super-spreader in Kerala was there. But it seems that people did not take any lesson out of it. But at the same time, I also feel that the relaxation in the night curfew during the Puja days could have been avoided," he said.
