Chath Puja by Santosh Mahato

Assam issues SOPs for celebration of Raas and Chath Puja

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In view of the upcoming festivals of Raas and Chath Puja, the Assam State Disaster Management Authority, has issued a new list of standard operating procedures to be followed during these two festivals. These steps are being taken in order to prevent a possible third wave of COVID-19 infections in the state.

Assam has also issued a new set of SOPs for people travelling to the state very recently .

Guidelines for observing Chath Puja

  1. All the places and routes leading to the puja at ghats and river banks etc. must be identified, sanitized and checked. The puja committees should be directed to engage volunteers at the site of celebrations and necessary guidelines to the volunteers may be given with Do’s and Don’ts at the venue.
  2. A maximum of five people per family are allowed at a time in the puja ghats maintain a social distancing and other protocols of COVID-19. The puja committees will ensure that only the religious rituals will be observed at the venue.
  3. There shall be no mela or cultural events in connection with the celebration of puja,
  4. The puja committees will not allow any vendor, temporary tea stall/chat house etc. in the vicinity of the puja venue.
  5. All the visitors to puja location must be subjected to proper thermal scanning by organizers and no person with any symptom related to COVID-19 shall be allowed to enter the pandals.
  6. Strict compliance of social distancing, wearing mask, etc. must be maintained.
  7. All organizers and volunteers must be at least vaccinated with one dose of vaccine and preferably with two doses of vaccination.
  8. In case any person is suspected to be symptomatic with COVID-19, it will be the responsibility of the organizers to inform the nearest Government medical facility and arrange for shifting of such persons to the nearest COVID treatment center.

Arrangements in Raas venues

  1. Organizers must keep adequate space for arrangement of physical distancing between two seats as per COVID-19 protocol.
  2. Entry and exit gates must be kept separate to avoid crowding.
  3. Proper signage or floor markings must be made from entry to exit point so that visitors are properly guided on the route.
  4. The exit should be done in a staggered manner to avoid crowding. Well-trained committee volunteers wearing masks and hand gloves must be stationed at different points inside the venue to assist visitors.
  1. Volunteers should sanitise their hands, wear masks properly and ensure maintenance of social distance by the viewers while entering the venue while sitting and while leaving.
  2. Thermal screening of visitors/staff is to be carried out at all entry points. Only asymptomatic individuals shall be allowed to enter the premises. Organizers have to arrange for thermal screening at all entry points.
  3. Provisions for hand sanitization should be made available at all entry and exit points and in working areas along with a volunteer to assist visitors.
  4. No individual without mask should be allowed inside the Raas venues.
  5. The seats must be sanitized following appropriate procedures after each show by the organizers.
  6. Proper crowd management in the parking lots and outside the premises, duly following physical distancing norms has to be ensured.
  7. Proper use of face masks shall be mandatory for all visitors.

Feature Image Courtesy Santosh Mahato.