Police commissioner Anuj Sharma asked Puja organisers at a meeting on Friday to ensure that no visitor is allowed inside pandals without a mask and without getting his or her hands disinfected, an organiser who was at the meeting said.

The organisers were also asked to enforce social distancing protocol and offer masks to those who don’t have one.

The city top cop explained to the organisers that adequate precautionary measures at pandals would help prevent a spike in the number of Covid-19 cases after Puja. He then asked the organisers to ensure that pandals have enough room for air circulation and, if possible, keep the roof open.

“We have always received your cooperation. This year is different and we want it even more. I had tested positive for the coronavirus and have recovered. No one should take chances. Please adhere to the guidelines that have been laid down,” an organiser quoted the police commissioner as saying at the meeting, held at Netaji Indoor Stadium.

“The police commissioner reminded us in great det-ail about the norms, which the chief minister had told us earlier,” said Saswata Basu of Hatibagan Sarbojonin Durgostav Committee.

At a meeting with puja organisers in September, chief minister Mamata Banerjee had spelt out this year’s festive norms, including how pandals should be built to let air flow through it freely. Public health experts have been stressing the need for ventilation to minimise chances of spread of the coronavirus.

Mamata had also urged the organisers to deploy more volunteers to prevent crowding inside pandals.

Sharma’s word of caution came around the time when several puja committees have been calculating the amount they would have to spend on sanitisers and dispensers, depending on the likely footfall from Saptami to Navami.

“That is no small amount. On an average we would need around 500 litres of sanitisers for the three days,” said Sandipan Banerjee of Behala Notun Dal.