Bhubaneswar: With Odisha easing up COVID-induced restrictions, the Sambalpur administration has decided to open the gates of Samaleswari Temple and other places of worship in the district for devotees from August 3.
The decision was taken in a meeting presided over by Collector in-charge Sukant Tripathy and accordingly SOP for the same has been issued.
From Tuesday, devotees can visit Samaleshwari Temple to pay obeisance to the goddess from 6 am to 11:30 am and 3 pm to 7:30 pm. All religious places will remain closed on Mondays for carrying out sanitisation and cleaning activities. However, those in containment zones will not be allowed to open for devotees.
According to the July 31 guidelines, no offerings will be made at the places of worship and prasad Sevan is strictly prohibited inside the premises.
People above 65 years of age, pregnant women, children below 10 years of age have been advised against visiting religious places for safety reasons.
THE SOP
>> There will only be one designated entry and exit point and barricades should be put to ensure proper queue and social distancing.
>> Hermal scanner should be provided at the entry point and devotees allowed to enter the temple only after temperature check and hand sanitisation.
>> The institution should carry out a medical check-up of priests and only those without symptoms be allowed to perform the rituals.
>> Use of mask is mandatory for devotees, priests, volunteers, trustees and security personnel.
>> Devotees should be advised not to touch the walls, statues and idols.
>> No devotee should be allowed to stay or sit at sanctum sanctorum or perform rituals at the temple.
Odisha has been under lockdown since May 5 to break the COVID infection chain and all religious institutions have remained closed since then to contain the spread of the virus.
On April 20, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation ordered for closure of all religious places for devotees amid a spike in daily COVID cases.
Two days prior to that, Lingaraj Temple in the state capital was closed after some servitors tested positive for infection.
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