Ganesh Puja in Bhubaneswar: BMC issues guidelines

Bhubaneswar: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued guidelines for Ganesh Puja celebrations in the city.

The BMC has prohibited congregation at puja pandals.

Congregation on the occasion of Ganesh Puja shall not be allowed in public within BMC jurisdiction. The Puja Committees/ Organizers can conduct Ganesh Puja at Mandaps/ Pandals by adopting all COVID-19 protocols, it said.

They have to obtain permission from the Officer duly authorized by the Commissioner of Police.

The BMC said that the puja will be conducted in indoor like condition only for observance of rituals without any public participation, pomp and grandeur.

The Mandaps/ Pandals shall have to be covered on three sides and one side to be opened only for the purpose of use by the priest for rituals. The fourth side should also be covered properly so as not to allow any public view/ darshan of the idols by devotees.

The idol size should be less than 4 ft.

At any point of time, there shall be not more than 7 persons allowed including the organizers/ priests/ Kartas/ support staff etc. at the Pandal/ Mandap.

There shall be no immersion procession by the organizers. The idols will be immersed in artificial ponds to be created by the BMC for this purpose.

In educational institutes/ coaching institutes, Ganesh Puja will be observed by following the above norms. The maximum number of participants will be 20 and all will have to adhere to COVID-19 protocol.