Technical panel to prepare SOP for Mysuru Dasara festival

Mysuru: Health minister Mr B Sriramulu said that the technical committee comprising officials from health department and local organisations will come up with a standard operating procedure to be followed to prevent the spread of Covid-19 during Mysuru Dasara festivities.

Mr Sriramulu who visited Mysuru on Wednesday met elected representatives of Mysuru and officials of the district administration.

Senior politician and BJP MLC Mr A H Vishwanath objected to Mysuru district minister Mr S T Somshekar's proposal to mobilise 2,000 people for Dasara jumbo savari procession. He suggested cancellation of cultural programmes traditionally organised every evening for the first eight days of Dasara, in front of the illuminated Mysuru Palace. He even called for dispensing with customary illumination of Mysuru city during the festival. "It's not safe if a large number of people gather during the Dasara events and to witness illumination of city in view of prevailing pandemic as Mysuru has second highest number of positive cases and deaths due to Covid-19 after Bengaluru," Mr Vishwanath said.

Mr Vishwanath also suggested that Dasara be restricted to floral tributes to Goddess Chamundeshwari placed in Golden howdah and carried by the elephant.

Reacting to this, Mr Sriramulu said, "We will discuss the suggestions on cancellations of cultural programmes in front of Mysuru Palace and illumination of Mysuru with Chief Minister Mr B S Yeddyurappa. The technical committee will come to Mysuru on Thursday and within 24 hours they will prepare SOP to be followed during the festivities. Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi has mentioned Karnataka among 16 States which need more focus in managing the Covid pandemic," he said.

On reopening of schools, Mr Sriramulu said that they would decide on it after receiving the report from the expert committee formed for the purpose.

On collecting fines from those not wearing masks, the government would not be lenient even towardsVIPS, Mr Sriramulu said.

Even though it has been decided to keep Dasara simple, Mysuru district minister Mr S T Somshekar had recently said that they wrote to the Central government seeking permission for allowing 250 members for the inauguration of the festival atop Chamundi hills on 17 October, 1,000 people for cultural programmes at Mysuru Palace and for 2,000 for jumbo savari procession on October 26.

Meanwhile, Mr Somshekar also held a meeting with officials on Wednesday and speaking to later said, "The decision to celebrate Dasara was taken collectively by more than 30 elected representatives led by Chief Minister Mr B S Yeddyurappa at Dasara high power committee held in Bengaluru. So I am only implementing it as the festival executive committee chairperson. Yet, if there are any suggestions in the best interest of people, I am always open to them," he said.