The Ranchi district administration will roll out mobile vans for Covid-19 testing at major pandals, among the major initiatives it is working on to limit the spread of the virus and detect super-spreaders during the four days of Pujas starting with Mahasaptamai on Friday.

Ranchi deputy commissioner Chhavi Ranjan, who held a meeting with district health department and other stakeholders on Monday, said, “We are planning to roll out mobile vans for Covid-19 testing outside major puja venues to scan vendors and visitors as a part of an early detection plan to prevent the spread of the virus. I have asked officials to identify potential hotspots.”

To encourage compliance of Covid safety guidelines, the district administration has also announced awards puja pandals. “Puja committees will be graded and awarded on the basis of Covid safety compliance parameters and how innovatively they follow them,” he said, adding that all pandals/puja samitis will also have to give the administration an undertaking that they would indeed adhere to all norms.

The district administration has also launched a crackdown at markets and sweet shops with the twin purpose of enforcing Covid norms and checking food adulteration.

The Booty More Durga Puja Samiti pandal in Ranchi on Tuesday. Manob Chowdhary

The administration slapped showcause notices to five eateries and shops in Lalpur on Monday for violation of social distancing norms. They are Rahul Bakery, VK Vending, Hotel Sher-e-Punjab, Sardar Food Plaza and Roman Famous Chinese Food.

Ranjan said that checks on markets would continue till the end of Puja. “This is the time when we need to be more vigilant to ensure that the festival doesn’t turn into a reason for worry,” he said.

The daily count of Covid-19 cases in Jharkhand has shown a downward trend for the last few days but Ranchi continues to register triple digit spikes with a total of 440 cases reported on Saturday and Sunday.