Rising Covid cases prompt Kolkata clubs to cancel, scale down year-end party – Times of India

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KOLKATA: Some city clubs have called off their New Year’s Eve celebrations because of the spiralling Covid cases.
Committee members of several clubs went into a huddle on Wednesday to discuss if they should go ahead with the celebrations. Among those who decided against it was Tolly. Calcutta Club’s office-bearers decided to restrict footfalls further.
The first club to cancel the 31st-night event was Calcutta Swimming Club (CSC). In the morning, the authorities announced, “Owing to the emerging Covid-19 environment, the programme scheduled for 31 December has been called off.” Tolly and Royal Calcutta Golf Club followed suit.
Last year, Tolly had a limited-participation event. “Th-is time, we are not even having that as the committee decided it wouldn’t be proper to have celebrations amid the rising Covid cases. Friday will be a normal club day,” said Tolly Club CEO Anil Mukerji.
Calcutta Club CEO Somnath Mukherjee said, “We shall take a final call tomorrow. As of now, we are going ahead with limited seating.”
Naresh Goyal, CSC president, said, “We took the decision in the morning and informed vendors and members. Office-bearers from other clubs started calling me up since I am a medical practitioner.”
RCGC was planning a gala New Year’s event, which now stands cancelled. Col Devrishi Singhal, CEO, RCGC, said, “The uppermost thought on our minds is our members’ safety. We can’t compromise on that.”
Saturday Club decided to have a low-key event. “Only around 150 of our 900-odd members will be allowed to attend,” a committee member said. The celebrations will be in open spaces, on the five tennis courts, and Covid norms will be followed, a member said.
A CCFC office-bearer said, “The call on cancelling the 31st-night programme has not been taken yet since we have sprawling lawns and a well spread-out party area. We’ll probably have it. But things might change at the last moment because the situation is very grave.”
Private club events are on, though. Princeton manager (operations) Sanjay Karmakar said, “We shall have very few in attendance, with all Covid protocols in place.”
Suman Mukherjee, assistant general manager, Space Circle, said, “Our club is continuing with the plans.”
Several other clubs, including Calcutta Rowing Club and Lake Club, have scaled down the programmes. CRC has limited entry to only 150 fully vaccinated members, said club secretary Chandan Roychoudhury.