Durga Puja Pandal allowed, but no entry for devotees

Jharkhand Govt has allowed reopening of religious places with restrictions. Durga Puja pandals will be allowed, but devotees can’t enter. Offline classes too have been allowed.

Ranchi: A number of important decisions were taken in the Jharkhand State Disaster Management Authority meeting held on Tuesday in Ranchi under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Hemant Soren. The meeting laid down a number of restrictions/exemptions keeping in view the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the meeting, it was decided to open all the temples of the state. But it will be mandatory to follow the Covid guideline in all the temples.

Besides, a decision to allow construction of pandals for Durga Puja was taken. However, devotees will not be able to go inside the pandal.

Several other rules were also laid down in the meeting.

Guidelines for religious places

• Permission was given for the entry of devotees at all religious places.

• It will be mandatory for all the concerned persons like priest, panda, imam, pastor etc. to have taken at least one dose of vaccine for carrying out the rituals of religious places.

• A maximum of 100 persons will be able to enter in one hour through e-pass in religious places identified by the District Magistrate such as Baba Dham Temple in Deoghar.

• Permission was given to gather at the religious place only up to 50% of the capacity of the place.

• There will be a ban on the entry of a person below the age of 18 years.

• Social distancing will be mandatory.

• Without a mask, there will be no entry.

• One will have to wear a mask continuously.

Guidelines on Durga Puja

Permission given for construction of Durga Puja pandal.

• There will be a ban on the entry of devotees in the pandal.

• There will be a ban on the gathering of more than 50% of the capacity or more than 25 persons (whichever is less) at a time in the pandal.

• Fairs cannot be held.

• The maximum height of the idol will be 5 feet.

• There will be no archway or reception gate.

• The pandal will not be based on any theme.

• The pandal will be surrounded from three sides.

• Bhog will not be distributed.

• Invitation letter will not be distributed by the worship committee.

• Bright lighting will be restricted except for essential lighting.

• Cultural programs like Garba, Dandiya etc. will be banned.

• Entry of a person below 18 years is not expected.

• There will be no food stall or cart nearby.

• There will be no immersion procession.

• Immersion will be done at the place identified by the district administration.

• No person will be without a mask at any time in the pandal.

• Dhak will be allowed.

Guidelines for educational institutions

Offline classes have been allowed for all years of undergraduate and postgraduate education in the college.

• Offline classes were allowed in the school from 6 to 8.
• All sports activities were allowed to be organized without spectators.
• Bars and restaurants were allowed to open till 11 pm.
  

The meeting was attended by Minister of Disaster Management Department Banna Gupta, Chief Secretary Sukhdev Singh, Additional Chief Secretary Arun Kumar Singh, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Rajiv Arun Ekka, Principal Secretary Finance Department Ajay Kumar Singh, Secretary to Chief Minister Vinay Kumar Choubey, Secretary of Disaster Management Department. Amitabh Kaushal and Agriculture Secretary Abu Bakr Siddiqui.