During the celebration of the Durga Puja festival, pandals are erected every year at temples (mandirs) and public places at many locations in the State, particularly in Dimapur. As the pandals and all such locations usually see gathering of a large number of people, it is imperative in view of the COVID-19 pandemic that appropriate measures are taken during the celebration of the upcoming Durga Puja Festival so that the spread of COVID-19 is prevented; and towards this end the following guidelines are hereby issued applicable in the entire State of Nagaland:

1. The puja pandals shall be allowed to be set up only outside the containment zones.
2. The timing for the visit of the devotees to the pandals shall be from 5 AM in the morning till 9 PM in the evening.
3. The maximum number of persons including organizers that may be allowed to gather at any time in the puja pandals should be up to 50 % of the capacity, subject to adherence to COVID-19 appropriate behaviour such as maintenance of social distancing, wearing of masks etc.
4. The puja organizers should not allow any person to enter the puja premises without face cover/mask and washing/sanitizing of hands. It shall be the responsibility of puja organizers to arrange for facilities for hand washing/sanitization at entrance of puja premises.
5. The organizers shall also ensure marking in the waiting area/ queue outside the premises to ensure social distancing. They shall also deploy volunteers/private security to assist the police in ensuring wearing of face mask, social distancing etc. outside the respective puja premises.
6. The organizers should ensure sanitizing the premises before opening and after closing and every 6 hours during the day.
7. All visitors to puja location shall be subject to thermal scanning by puja organizers and no person with any symptom related to COVID-19 shall be allowed to enter the puja pandals.
8. In case any person/visitor to puja pandal is suspected to be symptomatic with COVID- 19, it shall be the responsibility of the puja organizers to inform the nearest Government medical facility and arrange for shifting of such person to that medical facility.
9. Person above 65 years of age, children below 10 years of age, person with co­morbidities and pregnant woman may be advised to avoid visiting the puja pandals.
10. A maximum of 50 (fifty) persons will be allowed to be a part of any immersion procession and for completing the ritual of immersion, and all concerned should observe COVID-19 appropriate behaviour at all times.

In addition to the usual authorities in the Districts giving the necessary permissions to the puja committees/organizers for putting up pandals, the authority for giving the final clearance this year will be the respective District Task Force headed by the Deputy Commissioner. The DTF shall also make necessary arrangements with the concerned puja committees/organizers to ensure that immersion of the idols is suitably staggered so as to avoid congestion and large gatherings at the immersion sites. Concerned district CP/SP shall make necessary arrangements for security, traffic, enforcing compliance to Covid-19 appropriate behavior etc.

Any violation of the above mentioned guidelines will attract action as per legal provisions against the puja committee/organizer or the individual/devotee as the case may be.

                                                                                    (DIPR)