These rules must strictly be followed by all puja committees across Odisha: Read on for details

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Special relief Commissioner (SRC) Pradeep Kumar Jena has issued fresh guidelines that are to be followed by all puja committees across Odisha. These guidelines must be implemented during Durga Puja, Lakshmi Puja, Kali Puja and other similar occasions during the upcoming festive season in the months of September, October and November this year. The guidelines have been issued keeping in mind the increasing rise of COVID-19 cases in Odisha.

The SRC has issued the guidelines following Orissa High Court’s direction to put in place a set of rules that must be followed by all the puja committees across Odisha.

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The guidelines are:

1. For conducting Puja in Puja Pandals/Mandaps, the organisers shall apply to and obtain necessary permission from the District Magistrtate or any other officer authorised by him/her. For the area under Commissionerate of Police Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, such permission can be given by the Commissioner of Police of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar or any other officer authorized by him/her.
2. Puja(s) shall be conducted indoor-like condition only for observance of rituals without public participation, pomp and grandeur.
3. Puja Pandals/Mandaps shall be covered on three sides. The fourth side shall also be covered in a way not to allow any public view of the idols. There shall be no darshan by public/devotees.
4. The size of the idol should be less than four feet.
5. There shall be no use of public address system.
6. At any given point of time, there shall not be more than seven persons including organisers and the priests and support staff present in the puja Pandal/Manadap.
7. The persons present at Puja Pandal/Mandap shall follow all COVID-19 protocols of social distancing, mask use, personal hygiene and sanitation issued by Central/State Government/Local Administration/approptiate authority.
8. The organisers and other persons involve in conducting the Puja shall abide by any other conditions(s) as imposed by local administration appropriate authority.
9. There shall be no immersion procession. The idols will be immersed in artificial pond(s) created by the local administration for the purpose.
10. There shall be no musical or any entertainment programme.
11. All the District Magistrates/Municipal Commissioners/Commissioner of Police, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack shall strictly enforce the above guidelines.
12. Penal Provision: Any person violating these measures will be liable to be proceeded against in accordance with the provision of Section 51 to 60 of the Disater Management Act, 2005, the Epidemic Diseased Act, 1897 and Regulation issued thereunder besides legal action under Section 188 of the IPC and other legal provisions as applicable.

PNN