Assam govt announces SOPs for Durga Puja

GUWAHATI:

With the festival season around the corner, the Assam government on Wednesday issued a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for Durga Puja celebrations 2021.

Announcing the guidelines, state health minister Keshab Mahanta said that the SOPs have been framed to ensure the smooth celebration of the upcoming festival season.

As per the new SOPs, the following measures have been put in place that are to be observed by puja committees across the state:

*All puja committee members have to submit their Covid vaccination certificate (for at least one vaccine dose) to DC while taking permission to organise puja.

*The mandap and pandals have to be sanitised before and after the puja.

*Volunteers, organisers, worshippers, and visitors should all be vaccinated. However, citizens below 18 years are exempted from these protocols.

*Puja mandap must be open on all sides and spacious to maintain social distance. All mandaps to have separate entry and exit gates.

*On the day of Panchami, Nabami, and Dashami, pujaris have to be tested for Covid-19.

*Puja pandals will have to be spacious so that visitors can maintain social distancing

*Committees have been advised to not entertain crowds

*Idols should not be too large, and no cultural programmes will be allowed

*No fares can be set up on the premises of the pandals or even standalone.

*Immersion of idol will be done only by a few people, and no overcrowding allowed on the day.

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