Unlock 5.0 | Jharkhand issues guidelines for opening of religious places, here are the details

The Jharkhand government on October 7 issued guidelines for all religious places that are set to reopen from October 8 under Unlock 5.0.

However, it made clear that all religious places in containment zones will remain closed.

The state administration asked people to maintain a six feet distance and follow all the COVID-19 protocols. It also capped the number of people to 50 per religious place.

Jharkhand government issues guidelines for celebrating Durga Puja, Dussehra 2020

Here are the guidelines

1) Places of worship in the containment zones to remain shut. Only those outside the containment zones are  allowed to open.

2) Ensuring a minimum distance of 6 feet between two persons, up to 50 persons can be allowed at once.

3) Staggering of visitors to be done to ensure social distancing.

4) Seating arrangement should be done in such a way that social distancing of six feet is maintained.

5) Under no circumstance, crowding will be allowed.

6) District magistrates will endeavour to regulate the entry of devotees by online entry pass system, in case of heavy footfall.

7) No person will be allowed to enter the religious place if he/she doesn't wear a face mask.

8) Wearing of the mask has been made mandatory for people at all times in the places of worship. Also, priests and clergies will have to wear masks even when reciting mantras or prayers.

9) Touching of idols or statues has been banned.

10) Community singing in groups or choir has been banned.

11) Restrictions on physical offerings like prasad have been imposed. Even, distribution of bhog or sprinkling holy water has been barred.

12) Use of common mats has been prohibited.

13) Entrance to have mandatory hand hygiene facility and thermal screening provisions.

14) Devotees and visitors to religious places have been advised to make arrangement for their shoes/footwear outside the premises of places of worship.

15) Provisions of separate entry and exit will be made at religious places, wherever feasible.

16) Sanitisation of religious places needs to be done on a daily basis.

17) The floor should be cleaned multiple times.

18) Lastly, all fairs or processions have been restricted.

According to the Union Health Ministry data, Jharkhand currently has 10,027 active COVID-19 cases, while 78,089 have recovered. Meanwhile, 757 people died in the state due to COVID-19.