The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday announced fresh COVID guidelines for those attending this year’s Gangasagar Mela.
Kolkata: The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday announced fresh COVID protocols for those attending this year’s Gangasagar Mela. Only those who have taken both the doses of COVID-19 vaccine and have a valid vaccine certificate of the same are allowed to attend 2022 Gangasagar Mela, the Calcutta High Court said. Meanwhile, those who can produce an RT-PCR test report of not more than 72 hours will be permitted to attend the mela. Gangasagar Mela 2022 is scheduled to take place from January 8 to 16.
The court also said that a two-member panel will keep a vigil in respect of compliance with the above directions, as well as the measures suggested by the state government in its affidavit, news agency ANI reported.
Earlier, Calcutta High Court allowed the state government to organise this year’s Gangasagar Mela with condition of following strict COVID guidelines as coronavirus cases continue to surge across the country. The division bench comprising Chief Justices Prakash Srivastava and Kesang Doma Bhutia in their order on January 7 asked the state government to issue a notification declaring Gangasagar Island as a “notified area”.
Gangasagar Mela 2022: Check COVID protocols to follow
- Fully vaccinated people – who have taken the first and second those of vaccine – are allowed to attend Gangasagar Mela 2022. They will have to show proof of the vaccine certificate.
- An RT-PCR negative test report from an ICMR approved lab not earlier than 72 hours mandatory for those attending 2022 Gangasagar Mela.
- All persons and pilgrims, including sadhus, sanyasis (hermit) and people coming from other states to the Gangasagar Mela ground and its immediate precincts mandatorily use face masks, maintain social distancing and use sanitisers.
- Government officials, police personnel, medical personnel, volunteers and all other aiding state machinery have to use face masks, maintain social distancing and sanitisers.
- Healthcare volunteers would be deployed at strategic points to spread awareness among the pilgrims and other people for maintaining COVID-19 protocol and distributing masks and sanitisers.
