SHILLONG: After remaining under lock and key for more than six months, churches, mosques, temples and gurudwaras across the state are set to re-open their doors for the faithful from Thursday.
It was in March this year when religious places in the city and the state were put under lock and key following the onslaught of COVID-19 cases
The Government has asked all the religious places to follow all the protocols and SOPs of the Government strictly while all the places of worship in the capital city were seen preparing their worshipping places ready for the big day.
Religious leaders from different faiths have assured that they would follow all the protocols in their respective places of worship.
General Secretary, Parish Pastoral Council, Cathedral of Mary Help of Christians Barnabas Nongbah, said that the church would follow all the protocols of the Government be it thermal checking or hand sanitizing of devotees.
The church has also kept a hand wash basin besides the services would culminate within an hour and service would be held in batches. The church which can accommodate more than two thousand people would accommodate only one-third of the faithfulThere will be separate entry and exit points for faithful while the benches in the church would be kept at a distance of 5 feet.
Ahmed Hussain, Secretary of the Police Bazar mosque too assured that all the directives and protocols of the Government would be followed in the mosque“ We have got hand sanitizers and we will be keeping a note of all the namazi’s who would visit our mosque for prayers,” he said. The mosque also made it clear that social distancing of 5-6 feet has to be maintained by all while all the faithful would have to bring their own separate prayer ma
The Central Puja Committee under which there are several temples in the city and the state have also directed all the temples to strictly follow all the SOPs of the Meghalaya Government.
“The temples would open from Thursday and all the temples would have to strictly following the SOPs of the Government,” CPC General Secretary JL Das said.