BHUBANESWAR: Even as the BMC has utterly failed in controlling crowds at markets and shopping malls, its fresh order capping the maximum number of participants at social functions to 50 has raised hackles among the public.
Disappointed with the order, members of the hospitality industry in the city have urged the State government to explain the logic behind such a move at a time when everything else has been thrown up. Why is there no uniformity in measures to control crowds if the Covid situation is likely to worsen during winter, they asked.
Director of Hotel Crown Debasish Patnaik said the order comes at a time when the hospitality industry, which was badly hit for nearly one and half year by the pandemic, is planning to get business from the festive season and social events. Earlier in the day, members of the wedding industry including tent owners and band parties gheraoed the BMC office seeking immediate revocation of the order.
The civic body on Monday informed that the order will remain in force till October 31. Meanwhile, it announced restrictions on the observance of Mahalaya. As per the order, ‘Brahmana Bhojan’ and all other rituals relating to Mahalaya will be prohibited at Bindusagar lake.