Sambalpur: In view of rising COVID-19 cases, the Sambalpur administration on Thursday banned Ganesh Puja celebrations in the district.
In an order, Collector Shubham Saxena said there will be no Ganesh Puja at any puja mandap and public place. While permission will be given to perform puja in temples or at permanent places of worship, no devotees will be allowed to enter its premises. However, the devotees are at liberty to perform individual puja at their respective houses.
Violation of the order will be liable to prosecution under Sections 51 to 60 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005, Sections 188 of the IPC and other legal provisions, the order added.
Apart from Sambalpur, there will be no public celebration of Ganesh puja in Khurda, Ganjam, Gajapati, Sundargarh and the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar this year.
