Assam Government issues guidelines for Raax, Chhath Puja celebration

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) has issued guidelines for Raax festival and Chhath Puja to be celebrated in November which are to be strictly adhered by all the event organizers /visitors/participants of the festivals in both rural and urban areas.

ASDMA has allowed meetings/gatherings in open or closed spaces with some conditions. In case of open spaces, jurisdictional District Disaster Management Authority (DDMAs) shall fix the limit of gatherings depending on the COVID situation in their respective districts. In closed venues, gathering is allowed upto 50 per cent of the seating capacity of the hall.

• Guidelines for observing Chhath Puja

All the places and routes leading to the celebration of sites/ghats and river banks etc. should 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.

Only five persons 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. There shall be no Meta/cultural events in connection with the celebration of puja. The puja committees will not allow any vendor, temporary tea stall/chat house in the vicinity of the puja pandal. All visitors to Puja location shall be subjected to thermal scanning by Puja organizers and no person with any symptom related to COVID-19 shall be allowed to enter the Puja pandals.

Strict compliance of social distancing, wearing mask are to be maintained. All organizers and volunteers must be at least vaccinated with one dose of vaccine and preferably with two doses of vaccination. In case any person/visitor to Puja pandal is suspected to be symptomatic with COVID-19, it will be the responsibility of the Puja organizers to inform the nearest government medical facility and arrange for shifting of such persons to the nearest COVID treatment centre.

• Guidelines for organizing Raax Festival

All organizers of the Raax Committee must take permission from the district administration for organizing Raax Festival, 2021, as per existing rules.

The district administration will convene a meeting of all Raax Committees/ Organizers for a detailed briefing on the protocol/guidelines issued by the government before giving permission in order to ensure compliance with COVID protocols. This is to extend all possible support to the Raax Committees for successful and safe celebration of Raax Festival maintaining COVID-19 appropriate protocol.

No melas, fairs, roadside shops, selling up of roadside food stall/temporary restaurant will be allowed as these might lead to crowding of people.

Also Read: Chhath Puja 2021: 5 Colours of Traditional Outfits to Wear During This Chhath Puja

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