Meeting on preparedness for Durga Puja celebrations in Silchar

SILCHAR: The upcoming Durga Puja festivity will be a low key affair in Cachar district in view of the COVID-19 pandemic situation, this has been stated by the Additional Deputy Commissioner Cachar Dipak Jidung while addressing at the meeting with the representatives of different puja organising committees at the conference hall of Deputy Commissioner here on Monday.

Presiding over the meeting, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Jidung explained the objective of the meeting and discussed at length the COVID-19 preventive standard operating procedure imposed by the State government this year in a safe and peaceful manner.

He said that the committees must take prior permission from the administration for organizing the puja. They have to engage enough volunteers to hold the puja smoothly and have to submit the list of volunteers including priests with vaccination certificates along with the application form for permission to the District Disaster Management Authority Cachar. Puja committee should give preference to the persons with double vaccination to be in volunteer force.

Jidung also explained to everyone that though the administration will set up task forces for the celebrations at the district level as well as revenue circle level, still the responsibility of the volunteer should be for 24 hours.

He also stated that puja pandal must be spacious and open from all side with entry and exit with clearly bifurcated. It is mandatory to sanitize the entire area of puja pandal, besides masks and sanitizer have to be kept compulsory at the entrance of every puja pandal.

He also stressed on wearing of masks and maintaining social distance. ADC Jidung further stated that there is a complete ban on cultural programme during and post puja celebrations and no mela or fair shall be organized by the puja committee. The committees have to keep a constant watch on the visitors so that no gathering takes place.

He also said that the proper signages must be there from entry to exit so that the visitors are guided to adhere to COVID appropriate behaviour. The devotees attending the events shall be allowed only after ensuring that they are having at least one dose of vaccination except for those below 18years. Keeping in view of COVID protocols, all gathering in the form of Anjali, prasad distribution etc should be done very carefully adhering to COVID norms in a staggered manner and devotees should be encouraged to bring flowers from home to avoid congestion.

While emphasising on the activities by the various puja committees during the celebrations days ADC Jidung said that the use of print, electronic and social media must be optimal to generate mass awareness about the COVID vaccination and COVID-19 protocols, in addition to that the inauguration of puja pandal should be in virtual mode. The size of puja idols shall be limited in such a way that carrying the idols shall require minimal number of people as allowed by ASDMA, stated a press release.

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