Second COVID-19 Wave: Marriage Processions Banned In Cuttack City; Attendance Limited

Cuttack: Amid apprehensions over a possible second wave of COVID-19 with the onset of winter, the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) has banned marriage processions in the Silver City and limited attendance in marriage functions to 100 and funerals to 50.

The guidelines released by CMC on Tuesday said children below 10 years, old people, pregnant women and people with co-morbidities should not attend marriage functions while people with a severe acute respiratory illness would not be allowed to such functions.

The civic body further said that it would be the joint responsibility of the host of the function and the management of Kalyan Mandaps, convention halls, marriage halls to adhere to the following guidelines:

1. The permission for the functions to be obtained from the local police station, local authority (CMC in this case) mandatorily.

2. Marriage procession of any kind is strictly prohibited.

3. The person with SARI/ILI like symptoms shall not be allowed to the venue/hall. In funeral related functions such persons need to be avoided to participate as far as practicable.

4. Other vulnerable groups of people such as old age person, pregnant women or children below 10 years of age or person with other comorbidities are also advised not to attend these functions.

5. The host of the function shall ensure thermal screening of all participants at the entrance of the venue.

6. Physical distancing of at least 6 feet to be maintained at all times by the participants during the function.

7. The participants shall mandatorily use face mask during the function except during eating.

8. Spitting inside the Hall and chewing Pan/Gutkha etc are strictly prohibited.

9. The host of the function shall ensure adequate provision of hand sanitization/hand washing at the venue.

10. The sitting and dining arrangement shall be done to make at least 6 feet distance between individuals.

11. During the function a maximum of 50% of the hall capacity will be allowed for usage in a closed space subject to the ceiling limit of the relevant function.

12. In open space, an appropriate number of persons is allowed subject to the maintenance of prescribed physical distance and total ceiling of participants.

13. The host and the owner of the hall shall be responsible for ensuring the guidelines above. They will be liable for penal action in case of any violation. The individual participants will also be liable for the violation of norms as specified above.

14. The owner of the Kalyan Mandaps/Convention Halls/Marriage Halls etc shall provide the details of the function to be conducted along with the name of the host and permitted number of participants to CMC prior to seven days of the conduct of the function.

15. The above restrictions shall be effective from November 25 until further order.

16. The local police and the CMC enforcement squad will ensure strict abidance of the above provisions.