Guidelines issued for prevention of Corona infection in religious events
Bhopal : The Home Department has issued fresh guidelines for the prevention of Corona virus infection during religious events and festivals. Additional Chief Secretary, Home Dr. Rajesh Rajoura informed that according to the new order, people who are installing tableaus and organizers should not permit devotees and visitors to form crowds at narrow places and should ensure social distancing. In the order issued today, the Home Department has withdrawn the ban imposed earlier regarding the heights of idols and taziyas at various public places. Dr. Rajoura has said that with the end of restrictions on the height, permission has been granted to set up the pandals of 30 × 45 feet in place of previously issued 10 × 10 feet at the venue.
Dr. Rajoura told that idol immersion will be done by the organizing committees. Only a group of 10 people will be allowed to take the idols to the immersion site. For this, the organizers will have to take a separate permission from the district administration. The decentralized system of immersion can be considered in the Jila Shanti Samiti and District Crisis Management Committee. Ban on processions in religious-social events will continue. There will also be no permission for the processions for immersions.
Dr. Rajoura said that the traditional symbolic Shri Ram chal samaroha would be allowed before the burning of Ravana. The programme of Ramlila and Ravana Dahan can be organized with the prior approval of the Collector. The programme will be conducted in the open ground while adhering to social distancing norms and wearing face mask. Guidelines issued by the Honourable Supreme Court regarding sound of loud-speakers in Durga Puja and Ravana Dahan programme will have to be followed mandatorily.
As per the order issued by the Home Department, the collectors have been told to ensure adherence to guidelines issued by the state government from time to time, along with the use of face cover by devotees / audience, social distancing and sanitizer in public places in tableaux, pandals, immersion events, Ramlila and Ravana Dahan for protection against Covid infection in public places. Dr. Rajoura told that in view of the Covid infection, strict adherence to the other instructions also have to be followed. If the instructions are not followed, legal action will be taken.