HP govt issues SoPs for shrines; elderly, children not allowed
Language, art and culture department’s guidelines say posters on preventive steps to be displayed outside religious places
DHARAMSHALA: The Himachal Pradesh government on Sunday issued the Standard Operating Procedures (SoPs) for regulation of movements of devotees in temples and other religious places of the state.
The temples in the state, which were closed since March 17 in wake of Covid-19 pandemic, are set to reopen from September 10.
As per the guidelines issued by the language, art and culture department, staggering of visitors will be done and choirs, singing groups and taking dip in the temples is prohibited.
Sanitisation of frequently touched surfaces will also be done frequently with sodium hypochlorite solution. The bells will be removed or covered with clothes to prevent touch by devotees. Entry to the sanctum sanctorum will remain prohibited and the priest cannot touch the pilgrims. No one will be allowed to stand for more than a minute in front of the idols for puja rituals.
Persons above 65 years of age, those with comorbidities, pregnant women and children below the age of 10 years are banned from entering the premises of religious places.
An isolation room will be created near the place of religious worship for isolating the symptomatic patients. Ceremonies like marriages or mundan will not be allowed in religious premises and overnight stay is also prohibited.
Proper crowd management in the parking lots and outside the premises, duly following social distancing norms, will be organised. Any shops, stalls, cafeteria etc outside and within the premises will have to follow social distancing norms at all times.
Community kitchens and langars will be allowed with proper physical distancing norms while preparing and distributing the food.
The state government has not issued separate SoPs for pilgrims coming from other states.
Additional chief secretary (language, art and culture) RD Dhiman said the SOPs issued for tourists coming to the state will be applicable on the devotees.
It means, the devotees must have confirmed hotel booking for two days. They shall also bring Covid-19 negative report from the recognised laboratory that should not be older than 96 hours. No special permission will be granted for visiting temples only.
Biggest single-day spike with 397 new Covid cases Himachal Pradesh witnessed the biggest single-day spike with 397 fresh Covid-19 infections that took the state tally to 7,415.
The active cases have mounted to 2,176 and 5,021 people have recovered so far.
Of the new cases, 68 were reported in Kullu, 60 in Kangra, 57 in Solan, 52 in Chamba, 40 in Mandi, 31 each in Shimla and Bilaspur, 22 in Sirmaur, 20 and 16 in Una. The death toll reached 53 after a 75-year-old succumbed to the contagion in Amb sub-division of Una. Solan has recorded maximum 14 deaths due to Covid-19 so far, followed by 10 deaths in Kangra. Eight people have died in Mandi, five in Hamirpur, four each in Shimla, Una and Chamba and three in Sirmaur.