Seeking relaxation in COVID-19 restrictions in conducting festivals in places of worship and weddings, sound system organisers submitted a petition at the Collectorate in Tirunelveli on Monday.
Arriving at the Collectorate with cone speakers and lighting systems, the petitioners led by district president of their association Dhanushkodi and secretary Selvaraj said the restrictions would spell doom to 500-odd sound system organisers, who were feeding over 2,000 families directly by giving employment to them.
After last year’s festival season was washed out by the lockdown, the latest round of restrictions would wipe out the industry. Hence, the State government should relax the restrictions and give relief to workers involved in this industry, they said.
A similar petition was submitted at the Thoothukudi Collectorate.
The petitioners appealed to the State government to allow weddings with 50% guests. Apart from sound system organisers, the restrictions would also threaten catering, stage decoration, pandal contractors and allied businesses.
While cinema halls were allowed to operate with 50% seating, similar allowance should be extended to wedding functions too considering the wellbeing of the people associated with the celebrations, they said.
