Odisha: 2000 people now allowed for jatras, operas and dramas

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) has issued guidelines to allow 2000 people for jatras, operas and dramas from today.

The guidelines have been issued with a view to protect the health of the public and preventing spread of Covid-19 along with normalizing the economic activities, stipulations/ instructions for graded unlocking.

Following are the activities that is allowed from today:

Cultural gatherings/ programmes including melodies, orchestra/ jatra/ opera, dances-classical, folk and other permitted dance forms, cultural competitions, open air theatres/ drama/ nukkad natak/ street plays/ other such performances etc shall be allowed to open with due compliance to covid protocols.

Auditoriums/ assembly halls/ similar facilities shall be allowed to open with due compliance to covid protocols.

The COVID-19 safety protocols that have to be followed are:

• Mandatory wearing of face masks, physical distancing, provision of thermal scanning and use of hand wash or sanitizer.
• Maintaining a distance of 6 feet from each other and the seating arrangement shall be made accordingly.
• Facility for online booking of tickets may be arranged by the organizers.
• Sufficient number of counters shall be opened to prevent crowding during physical booking of tickets.
• Facility of advance booking online as well as through counters may also be organized.
• For indoor halls the numbers of viewers/ spectators shall not exceed 50% of the seating capacity of the hall.
• Cinema halls, theatres shall be allowed to open with up to 50% of capacity and operate with due compliance to covid protocols.
• In closed places, the number of persons including the invitees shall not exceed 50% of the hall capacity.
• The person having double dose/final vaccination certificate and Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) (-ve)/ RT PCR (-ve) Report obtained within 72 hours prior to the function will be allowed to attend the function.
• Persons with symptoms of Influenza Like Infection (ILI) and Severe Acute Respiratory Infection (SARI) shall not be allowed to the function.
• Vulnerable groups of people, such as, persons above 65 years of age, persons with co-morbidities and pregnant women are advised not to attend the function.
• Chewing of gutka and paan and spitting in the function is strictly prohibited.
• Cleaning and disinfection of frequently touched surfaces(door knobs/handles, hand rails, slides, chairs, tabletops, benches, washroom fixtures, floors/ walls shall be ensured.
• Deep cleaning of all drinking/ hand washing points/ wash rooms, lavatories shall be ensured.
• The organiser of the function will ensure elaborate arrangement for hand washing with soap and water and also ensure availability of hand sanitizers.