Gujarat: Kutch district to permit marriage ceremonies

The resident additional collector of Kutch said that the decision to allow marriage ceremonies was taken due to representations from people. "We have been receiving requests from people to permit marriage functions. The instruction is to discourage marriage functions in the first place but permit them in unavoidable circumstances.




The district administration of Kutch has decided to allow marriage ceremonies on condition that social distancing is maintained and not more than 20 people attend the functions.

“The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) guidelines stipulate that social distancing norms be adhered to during functions like funerals and that gathering of not more than 20 people be allowed. In conformation to these guidelines, we have decided to permit marriages from Monday onward on the condition that not more than 20 people will attend the function and that social distancing would be observed,” Kuldipsinh Jhala, resident additional collector of Kutch, told The Indian Express on Sunday.

Jhala said that the decision to allow marriage ceremonies was taken due to representations from people. “We have been receiving requests from people to permit marriage functions. Therefore, we have passed instructions to sub-divisional magistrates in this regard. The instruction is to discourage marriage functions in the first place but permit them in unavoidable circumstances.

People can approach local mamltadar with a request to allow such ceremonies. The mamlatdars would escalate the matter to respective sub-divisional magistrates who would take a call. While there is no need to seek a written permission to organise such functions, the idea is keep the government informed about such events and necessary action can be taken in case of violation,” Jhala added.

Incidentally, police had intervened in a marriage ceremony in Navsari district and booked the bride and groom and 12 others on Friday for organising the function in violation of prohibitory orders.

Jhala said that Madhapar village on the outskirts of Bhuj town, the district headquarters of Kutch, was the only containment zone in the district where movement of residents is completely restricted since a 52-year-old man tested positive for coronavirus on April 5. Four days later, his wife and daughter-in-law also tested positive. However, there hasn’t been any further spread of the infection in the past 10 days.

“We are relaxing movement of people in the containment zone from Monday as no cases of infection have come to light in the last 10 days. Now, the restrictions will be on those who have tested positive and society in which they are living,” Dr P N Kannar, chief district health officer (CDHO) of Kutch, told The Indian Express.

The first case of COVID-19 case in Kutch district was reported on March 21.

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