The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Thursday issued guidelines to be followed by the devotees and puja organisers during the celebration of Ganesh Puja in the city. Congregation on the occasion of Ganesh Puja would not be allowed in public within the BMC jurisdiction. The puja committees and organisers can conduct Ganesh Puja in mandaps and pandals by adopting all Covid-19 protocols such as social distancing, wearing masks, proper sanitisation .
They would also have to obtain permission from the Commissionerate police.The Puja should be conducted in indoor-like conditions only for observance of rituals without any public participation, pomp, and grandeur. The public address system should not be used during Puja or any other time, the guidelines stated. The mandaps and pandals should be covered on three sides and one side to be opened only for the purpose of use by the priest for rituals. This fourth side should also be covered properly so as not to allow any public view or darshan of the idols by devotees.
At any point of time, there shall not be more than seven persons allowed including the organisers, priests, kartas and support staffs in the pandals or mandaps. Besides, the idol size should be less than four feet. There should be no immersion procession by the organisers. The idols should be immersed in artificial ponds to be created by the BMC for this purpose. In educational institutes, coaching institutes, the maximum number of participants allowed would be 20 and all would have to adhere to the Covid-19 protocols. No partaking of prasad would be allowed of any kind on account of the Puja. The head of the educational institution or coaching institute should ensure that those above 18 years of age are fully vaccinated to be present on the occasion, the guidelines added.