Bihar Tourism Department has cancelled all events planned for April and is considering revising events planned for May amid the spike in Covid-19 cases, reports Roopa Sopam for Hindustan Times.

As per this year’s calendar released by the department, Patna Sahib Festival, to be held on the occasion of Vaishakhi on April 13, has been cancelled. Later in the month, Vaishali Mahotsav, which was planned for April 25, has also been cancelled. The Department has been hosting the mahotsav for decades to mark birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir.

Besides this, events such as Kundalpur Mahotsav in Nalanda, Lacchuar Mahotsav at Lacchuar in Jamui, Thawe Mahotsav in Gopalganj and Mundeshwari Mahotsav in Bhabua, also scheduled for this month, have been cancelled.

“The events have been cancelled due to the growing Covid threat. No tourism festival will be held in April. The government has already issued guidelines for public functions,” State Tourism Minister Narayan Prasad said.

The Ministry is yet to take a call on events planned for May. Prasad said though there are prescribed precautions to be taken to stop the spread of coronavirus infection, it will be difficult to keep things under control during such public functions.

“Even the programme of Union Tourism Minister Prahlad Singh Patel has been revised due to Covid. He was to visit west Champaran to attend the Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav on April 10. Now, the programme has been postponed to May 1,” he said.

In 2020 as well, the state had to cancel a majority of events because of the pandemic. Mukesh Kumar, manager at a hotel run by the Bihar State Tourism Development Corporation, said, “Events such as Buddha Purnima, Rajgir Mahotsav and Sonepur fair had to be cancelled.” (Source: Hindustan Times)