Breaking: Meghalaya to open places of worship from June 14

Guwahati: Amid the Centre's directive to "unlock" the nation in phases after the coronavirus-triggered lockdown kept 1.3 million Indians indoors for over 2 moths, Meghalaya, in a bid to restore normalcy, has decided to open its places of worship from June 14 onwards.

The decision was taken when the state's Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, along with Ministers and officials, convened a meeting with various religious leaders in the capital city Shillong. "Places of worship will reopen from the 14th of June with due adherence to safety protocols laid by the Govt. I thank all our religious leaders for their unwavering support and cooperation", Sangma said at the end of the meeting.

The move of the Meghalaya comes days after the Centre had decreed that the places of worship can be opened from June 8 onwards by following the prescribed protocols. Ahead of the opening of these places of worship, the Indian Government's Department of Health and Family Welfare has issued a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) to be followed by devotees the next they visit their preferred place of worship.

SOPs for Opening of Places of Worship in India:

The Union Health Ministry has said that the religious places/places of worship get frequented by a large number of people for spiritual solace. To prevent the spread of Covid-19 infection, it is important that required social distancing and other preventive measures are followed in such premises.

The Ministry said that shoes and footwear should be preferably taken off inside one's own vehicle. If needed they should be kept in separate slots for each individual/family by the persons themselves. Devotees have also been advised not to touch statues, idols, holy books, as the coronavirus virus is believed to survive for long periods on surfaces.

At the same time, the Ministry has informed that choir or singing groups should not be allowed. "In view of the potential threat of the spread of infection, as far as feasible recorded devotional music/songs may be played and choir or singing groups should not be allowed", the Ministry's notification said. The Ministry also advised devotees to avoid common prayer mats and said they should bring their own prayer mat or piece of cloth which they may take back with them. It also said physical offerings like prasad, distribution or sprinkling of holy water, etc. will not be allowed inside the places of worship to avoid transmission.

Under the Health Ministry's SOP, all religious places shall also ensure that entrance will have mandatory hand hygiene and thermal screening provisions and. According to the Ministry, only asymptomatic persons shall be allowed inside the premises so as to minimize the risk of an infection.

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