Kamrup (M) administration suspends all Bihu progs in view of COVID-19 surge

GUWAHATI: The Kamrup (Metro) district administration is all set to suspend permission for holding Rongali Bihu stage programmes with effect from tomorrow in view of the rapid surge in COVID-19 positive cases in the district.

Sources said, a decision in this regard was taken on the basis of a meeting of the stage Bihu organising committees here yesterday. The meeting had resolved that stage programmes would be cancelled if more than 300 cases are detected in the district.

The district administration is likely to issue a circular in this regard tomorrow, the sources added.

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With very little visible chance of improvement in the situation, organisers of at least two major Bihu programmes – Beltola and Betkuchi -- here have already cancelled their programmes. Both the committees have decided not to hold a cultural show in the evenings and reduce their annual three-day programmes to single day event of the basics maintaining all COVID-19 protocols.

The state could not celebrate Rongali Bihu last year due to outbreak of the pandemic and subsequent lockdown.

Keeping in view the deteriorating financial condition of the artistes involved with Bihu programmes, the state government this time allowed the annual programmes stipulating certain standard operating procedures, including winding up cultural shows by 11 pm.

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However, the latest surge in cases, especially in the city, has forced the district administration to suspend permissions to all Bihu programmes in the district. Kamrup (Metro) tops of the state’s chart with 360 cases, followed by Kamrup with 56, Sonitpur 47, and Dibrugarh 42 cases.