Second Wave Of Covid-19 : BMC Issues New Guidelines To Restrict Marriage And Funeral Functions

Bhubaneswar: As a number of cities in India staring at a possible second wave of the Covid-19 infections, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation has issued a set of new guidelines that ban marriage processions and restrict presence of people in marriage functions and funeral services under its jurisdiction. The new guidelines, issued on Tuesday, limit the attendance of participants in marriage functions to 100 and funerals to 50.

The new guidelines ask children below 10 years, old people and pregnant women not to attend marriage functions. BMC apprehends a 2nd wave of infections during the ensuing winter season and has decided that the total number of persons allowed in marriage related functions will be 100 and that for death rituals related function will be 50 within BMC limit in view of public safety. It shall 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(BMC 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 Co morbidities 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 Ft 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 ft distance between individuals.

11. During the function a maximum of 50/s 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 spaces 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 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 BMC prior to seven days of the conduct of the function.

15. The above restrictions shall be effective from 25.11.2020 until further order.

16. The Local Police and the BMC enforcement squad will ensure strict adherence of the above provisions.