Kandhamal: The district administration of Kandhamal on Wednesday allowed reopening of churches on December 25 for Christmas celebration with some restrictions.
Issuing a set of guidelines, the administration has announced to allow a maximum 50 devotees into big churches and 20 devotees into small churches for offering prayers on the occasion. Light and sound systems are also allowed inside the churches for beautification.
However, no rally or procession and Christmas party celebration are allowed during the period.
The following Covid-19 guidelines have been issued for observance of the festival.
- The local Committee of all the Churches shall ensure strict observance of COVID-19 safety protocol such as:
- Wearing masks appropriately by the devotees/visitors at all times.
- Social distancing of six feet is maintained at all times by all the devotees/visitors.
- Hand washing/hand sanitiser facility to be provided by the Church authorities. r
- Spitting inside and outside the premises and chewing of PAN/Guthka is strictly prohibited.
- The person with SARI/ILI like symptoms shall not be allowed to enter the Churches. Other vulnerable groups of people such as person with co-morbidities, old age persons, pregnant women or children below 10 years of age are restricted to visit the Churches.
- Participants who have returned from overseas shall have to abide by the protocols for quarantine /isolation issued by Govt. of India/Govt. of Odisha from time to time before visiting the Churches.
- The above conditional permission to be followed scrupulously by all concerned. Any deviation will entail individual action as per provision of Law
(Edited By Suryakant Jena)