New Delhi: The Diwali celebrations this year will be different due to the coronavirus pandemic. Many states issued guidelines for the ocassion to restrict crowding and prevent the spread of the infection. In view of the risisng pollution in places like Delhi cracakers have also been banned.

Earlier in October, the Home Ministry had issued a set of guidelines and SOPs to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus during the festivities. State governments imposed a ban on firecrackers during Diwali.Ahead of the festivities the Home Ministry issued a set of guidelines and preventive measures for the season. According to the guidelines dated October 6th 2020, festive events are permitted only outside containment zones. People residing in containment zones are advised to observe festivals inside their homes and not move out.

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Aside from which the here are some essentials SOPs stated:
• Self-monitoring of health by all and reporting any illness at the earliest to State and District Helpline.
• Spitting should be strictly prohibited.
• Installation & use of Aarogya Setu App shall be advised to all.
• Persons above 65 years of age, persons with comorbidities, pregnant women and children below the age of 10 years are advised to stay at home. This applies to the event managers and staff as well.
• Provisions need to be made to make contact less payment.
• All public utility common areas like benches, doorknobs, elevator buttons have to sanitized at regular intervals using 1 percent sodium hypochlorite solution.
• In case a person shows symptoms, they have to be put in an isolation room away from the general crowd, until medical help can arrive.

Apart fromt his differnt states have also issue regualtions for the day

Delhi- Delhi government had last week imposed a complete ban on the sale and bursting of all types of firecrackers from November 7 to November 30, violators will be penalized under the Air Act. The Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his cabinet has also announced that they will perform Lakshmi Puja at Akshardham Temple on Diwali.

Maharashtra- Mumbai  civic body, the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) imposed a ban on the bursting of firecrackers at public places during Diwali in view of rising COVID-19 cases in the city. BMC authorities has also formed squads to monitor firecracker and Covid 19 violations

Odisha- The state government banned the sale and use of firecrackers between November 10th and 30th 2020, across the state during the festive season to check air pollution which can aggravate health conditions of COVID-19 patients.

Haryana- The government allowed bursting firecrackers for two hours on Diwali adhering to the guidelines issued by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) to decrease air pollution.

Karnataka- People have been allowed to burst ‘green crackers’ on Diwali. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa had appealed to the people to celebrate the festival in a simple way by using only green crackers.

Rajasthan- The Ashok Gehlot-government has banned the sale of firecrackers, this decision has been taken in view of protecting the health of the corona-infected patients as well as keeping in view the health of the common people, who might feel uneasy with the smoke emanating from firecrackers.