Bhubaneswar: There will be no public celebrations of Ganesh Puja for the second year in a row in Bhubaneswar owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, as per the latest guidelines issued by the city’s civic body.
With the Ganesh Puja to be observed on September 10, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Wednesday issued the following guidelines.
1. Congregation on the occasion of Ganesh Puja shall not be allowed in public within BMC Jurisdiction. The Puja Committees / Organizers can conduct Ganesh Puja in Mandaps / Pandals by adopting all COVID-19 protocols such as social distancing, wearing Masks, proper sanitization, etc for which they have to obtain permission from the Officer duly authorized by the Commissioner of Police, Bhubaneswar.
2. The Puja shall be conducted in indoor-like conditions only for observance of rituals without any public participation, pomp, and grandeur.
3. The Mandaps / Pandals shall have to be covered on three sides and one side to be opened only for the purpose of use by the priest for rituals. This fourth side should also be covered properly so as not to allow any public view/darshan of the idols by devotees.
4. The Idol size should be less than 4 Ft.
5. Public address system shall not be used during Puja or any other time.
6. At any point of time there shall be not more than 7 persons allowed including the organizers/priests/Kartas/Support staffs etc in the Pandal / Mandap. And all those present shall have to follow strict COVID-19 protocols like social distancing/Wearing Masks appropriately/ Sanitiztion arrangement etc. The organizers shall ensure that only those who have been fully vaccinated are allowed for the observance of Puja.
7. There shall be no immersion procession by the organizers. The idols will be immersed in artificial ponds to be created by BMC for this purpose.
8. In educational institute/coaching institutes Ganesh puja will be observed by following the above norms. The maximum number of participants will be 20 numbers and all will have to adhere to the COVID-19 protocol. At any point of time that many participants will be allowed inside the Puja room or space so that social distancing of 6 Ft is maintained by all of them subject to a limit of 20 participants. No feast/Prasad sevan will be allowed of any kind on account of the Puja. The Head of the educational/Coaching institute shall ensure that those Above 18 years of age are fully vaccinated to be present on this occasion.