CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court has said that it is not possible on it’s part to consider separately the grievances of workers whose livelihood has been adversely affected due to Covid-19 restrictions imposed on puja fest ivals by the State government.
The division bench of Chief Justice S Muralidhar and Justice BP Routray disposed of petitions filed by 20 persons claiming to office bearers of different puja committees.
The petitioners had sought direction to the State government to frame a scheme or extend financial assistance to the adversely affected workers.
“Since the restrictions placed by the standard operating procedure (SOP) is in the background of Covid-19 pandemic and as the pandemic has affected a large number of workers in various trades and avocations since March, 2020, it is not possible for the Court to direct the State government to separately provide for workers associated with the puja festivals for grant of such relief ”, the bench said.
It further said that in any event this is a matter of the policy of the government.
The court left it open to the petitioners to seek other avenues for ventilating their grievance.
The petitioners had also sought the court’s intervention into restrictions imposed under the SOP during Durga puja, particularly in connection with the height of the idol.
The State government had prescribed the SOP in its order on August 9, 2021 taking into account all the puja festivals in the months of August, September, October and November, 2021.
The festivals included the Ganesh puja, Durga puja, Laxmi puja, Kali puja and Kartikeswar puja.