Bhubaneswar: Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Pradeep Kumar Jena Friday said that the government has decided to continue with the restrictions being imposed during festivals including the ones regarding congregation of people near pandals and idol height.
This comes at a time when a series of festivals would be celebrated this month and next month starting from Nuakhai to Durga Puja.
The SRC said that Covid-appropriate behaviour like 6-feet distance, masks and others would continue to be enforced during the festivals while the idol height would also be fixed at maximum 4 feet as decided earlier.
“We have decided to allow the people to celebrate the festivals in a low-key manner keeping in view the pandemic. The restrictions on height of idols at puja pandals would continue as usual with the maximum ceiling of 4 feet,” he said.
He also urged the people not to lower guards when the state has been reporting cases of Covid-19 every day.
“The state is reporting 600 to 1,000 cases of Covid-19 daily. We cannot say that the second wave is over yet. Thus we need to continue with the precautions we have been taking to prevent the spread of the disease,” he said.
The official also requested the people to abstain from taking steps which can lead to more congregations in and around temples in the wake of lined-up festivals during the next few days.
As per the norms shared by SRC, congregations would not be allowed during celebrations of Ganesh Puja, Durga Puja, Laxmi Puja, Kali Puja and other festivals in the state. The puja committees, however, were allowed to conduct the rituals in compliance with Covid-19 protocols with due permission from the police.
The SRC claimed that the pujas should be done only indoors without public participation while public address systems have also been barred. Presence of more than seven persons at puja pandals has been barred.
The new order also claimed that the processions for idol immersion would not be allowed. Community feast has also been barred by the government in its latest order for the festivities.
PNN