India News | Diwali Pahaat Programs Allowed in Pune as COVID-19 Cases Decline

Pune, Oct 22 (PTI) `Diwali Pahat' programs -- morning musical concerts organized during Diwali -- have been allowed in the city this year as the number of COVID-19 infections is declining, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar said on Friday.

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Diwali Pahaat programs (`Pahaat' means dawn in Marathi) are popular in Pune but could not be organized last year due to COVID-19 restrictions.

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Speaking to reporters here after a review meeting on the pandemic, Pawar said a decision on allowing 100 percent occupancy in drama theatres, cinema halls and auditoriums will be taken after taking a stock of the situation post Diwali.

Auditoriums, theaters and cinema halls were allowed to reopen with 50 per cent occupancy from Friday.

Pune city recorded zero fatalities due to the coronavirus infection in the last two days.

"I congratulate Prime Minister Narendra Modi and all those who worked towards achieving the 100 crore vaccination doses mark. In Maharashtra, we have administered over 10 crore doses while in Pune 1.17 crore doses of vaccine have been given," Pawar said.

During the review meeting, some public representatives demanded that Diwali Pahaat programs be allowed as COVID-19 cases and deaths are on decline and the administration agreed to the demand, he said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)