Bhubaneswar: In view of the decline in the number of new COVID-19 cases and overall improvement in the scenario, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has been decided to open religious institutions of all types from February 12.
As per an order released by BMC Commissioner, the religious institutions are to reopen subject to adherence to the following guidelines.
1. All the temples situated in Bhubaneswar can reopen from 12-02-2022 but with strict observance of COVID-19 safety protocols. Only those devotees who are fully vaccinated (if eligible for vaccination) will be allowed inside the temple premises. For the purpose of ascertaining the fact of full vaccination, either the hard copy of the certificate or soft copy available in mobile/tablet, etc. may be relied upon. Further, the devotees shall be required to bring their photo ID card namely Aadhar/Voter ID or any other photo ID card for identification. However, no devotee shall be allowed inside the Garva Griha of the temple. Darshan will be allowed from a safe distance only. There shall be no offerings like Bhoga etc. in the temple until further orders.
2. Children below the age of 15 years shall be allowed inside the temple/religious institutions with proper proof of identification such as Aadhar card and only under the supervision of their parents or adult relatives.
3. For Lord Lingaraj temple, maximum 100 devotees at a time will be allowed from Singhadwarto Ada- Katha. However, Sahan darshan /Garvagruha darshan must be completely prohibited.
4. Similarly, all other religious institutions like Mosque/Church/Gurudwara will also be allowed to open from 12-02-2022 for fully vaccinated devotees.
5. The authorities/management of the religious institutions shall ensure that only that many devotees are allowed inside the premises of the religious institution in order to ensure social distancing of 6 feet between the devotees. Under no circumstances, the social distancing norms should be violated.
6. All temple/mosque/church/gurudwara authority/management shall ensure that only the priests and Sebayats who are fully vaccinated are allowed to perform rituals. The Priests/Sebayats must put on Mask at all times in coherence to the COVID protocol.
7. All devotees must wear masks and maintain appropriate social distancing of six feet from each other at all times.
8. The temple/mosque/church/gurudwara authorities must make adequate provision for hand washing/hand sanitizer for the devotees at the entry and exit points.
9. Chewing of PAN Ghutka and spitting must be strictly prohibited inside & outside the premises.
10. The person with SARI/ILI like symptoms shall not be allowed inside.
11. Persons belonging to other vulnerable groups such as person with co-morbidities, old age persons, and pregnant women are advised not to visit religious instutions
12. The guidelines contained above shall be in force till 28.02.2022 and must be followed scrupulously by all the concerned.
Notably, the Government of Odisha on January 31 had authorized the Municipal Commissioners to accord permission for regulating public worship in religious places/places of worship based on local assessment of the situation with
appropriate COVID-19 restrictions and adherence to the COVID-19 protocol.
