The Assam government has issued a fresh set of standard operating procedure (SOP) ahead of the festive season across the state keeping in mind COVID-19 virus.
According to the latest government guidelines, all Puja organising committees have to get permission from the respective District Offices of the Deputy Commissioner and that all committee members must be vaccinated.
Besides the committee members, the guidelines state that all volunteers, organizers, worshipers, and visitors should be vaccinated. However, citizens below the age of 18 years are exempted from these protocols.
The SOP also clearly states that all the priests who will oversee prayers at the pandals have to be tested for Covid-19 on the day of Panchami, Nabami, and Dashami.
In a departure from norm because of the pandemic, the state has barred all cultural programmes at the pandals and strictly specified that no fairs or stalls would be set up on the premises of the pandals.
The rules are also clear about the size of the pandals. The government said this year the pandals will have to be spacious with separate entry and exit points for the visitors so that social distancing is maintained at all times.
The government has also instructed the puja organisers to sanitise the mandap and the pandal before and after the puja. The SOP also states that this year the statute of the goddess should not be too large. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority is going to issue notification on the size limit of the idol.
All the Deputy Commissioners have been directed to monitor that the SOPs are followed in their respective districts.
The government said though everyone must be allowed to participate in the festivities, only a few people can be present during the bringing of the idols and immersion of the Goddess.
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