Chennai

“The Union government has directed States to prevent public from assembling in common places till September 30. The spike in Kerala is a result of the government permitting celebration of Onam and Bakrid. Even in TN, cases are yet to reduce fully. Hence the government has banned public festivals till September 15, including Ganesh Chaturthi,” Stalin said in the Assembly.

The CM also said that the government will provide Rs 5,000 each to 12,000 potters in the State as they could not carry out pottery work in the rainy days. Among them, around 3,000 make Ganesh idols. As many idol makers lost their livelihood owing to denial of permission for Ganesh Chaturthi, the government will provide them Rs 5,000 in addition to the Rs 5,000 already provided.