Will Cachar administration allow concerts during Puja; 'Dolchut' submits memorandum urging for permission

Life has come to a standstill for hundreds of talented performing artists in the valley. Another thousand who survive by renting sound and light equipment and connecting them are at home too. Since March 2020, the world has undergone massive disruption. The lockdown took away leisure and the entertainment industry suffered the most. Cinema halls are shut, plays aren’t allowed, and though most of the other sectors have started to crawl back towards normalcy the guitars and dhols and tablas and harmoniums are only allowed on Facebook lives.

Yesterday, the popular Bangla band ‘Dolchut’ submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner of Cachar urging the administration to allow stage shows inside auditoriums with certain restrictions.

One might argue that the government of India has partly allowed all of that from October 15, as part of Unlock 5 guidelines so what is the purpose of the memorandum. In the guidelines issued yesterday, MHA stated, “Cinemas/ theatres/ multiplexes will be permitted to open with upto 50% of their seating capacity, for which, SOP will be issued by Ministry of Information & Broadcasting.”

It added, “Entertainment parks and similar places will be permitted to open, for which the SOP will be issued by the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare (MoHFW).”

While theatres, plays, stage shows seem to be permitted as per the newly issued guidelines, the states have right to impose bans. Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu said it won’t let cinemas open in the respective states till at least October 31.

All eyes, therefore, are on the chief secretary of Assam, Kumar Sanjay Krishna, and the respective deputy commissioners in Barak Valley. Will they allow stage shows and plays during Puja?

The health minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma while addressing the press in Silchar Medical College and Hospital recently said that the deputy commissioner will organise a meeting in the first week of October and decide the standard operating procedure to be followed during Puja.

The administration allows political rallies where up to 100 people gather. Flights are operating with all seats booked. In such a scenario, can concerts and gigs get permission in Cachar?

Dolchut requested the administration to allow it considering the plight of artists, technicians and others who earn a livelihood with active participation in art and culture. The ball is now on the administration’s court to take the final call.