GUWAHATI: Amid the unremitting spurt in coronavirus cases, the Assam government has decided not to take any chances this Durga Puja, and instead, tone the celebration down by adhering to a preventive strategy.
State chief secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna, in view of the grave situation, issued a notification spelling out a set of guidelines to be followed during the festival in the second half of October.
According to the guidelines, fairs or melas around the pandals have been barred while no temporary pandals would be allowed on or by the side of any street.
Only 30 persons, inclusive of organisers and priests, shall be allowed to gather at any time in the Puja pandals.
“A maximum of 20 devotees shall be allowed to gather on any Puja premise subject to there being sufficient space to maintain social distancing,” the notification said.
“Puja organisers should not allow any person to enter the Puja premises without face cover and washing of hands. It will be the responsibility of Puja organisers to arrange for facilities for hand washing/sanitisation at the entrances of the Puja premises,” the notification said.
Besides, the immersion processions too have been banned this time and only five persons would be allowed to complete the ritual of immersion.
“All visitors to puja locations shall be subjected to thermal scanning by puja organisers and no person with any symptom related to COVID-19 shall be allowed to enter the Puja pandals,” the order said.
“In case any person/visitor to the puja pandal is suspected to be symptomatic with COVID-19, it will be the responsibility of the puja organisers to inform the nearest government medical facility and arrange for shifting of such person to the nearest COVID treatment centre,” it said.
The chief secretary further asked the deputy commissioners to make necessary arrangements to ensure that the immersion process was staggered over a three-day period to avoid congestion and large gathering.
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