Centre issues guidelines for cultural functions; upto 200 people allowed in closed spaces

Ahead of the festival season, the Ministry of Culture on Thursday, issued detailed guidelines for celebrations amid the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The Centre has disallowed any cultural activities inside containment zones. As per Unlock-5 guidelines, functions and other congregations have already been permitted with a ceiling of 100 persons.

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Key points of Centre's festival guidelines 

• Apart general guidelines, the Centre has issued guidelines for staff members and artists mandating masks, CCOVID negative tests, social distancing etc.
• Green rooms and stages must be sanitised and all artists must ensure physical distancing, sanitise their equipment and wear masks.
• Thermal screening mandated at all entry and exit points, no food and beverages in auditoriums
• In closed spaces, a maximum of 50% of the hall capacity will be allowed, with a ceiling of 200 persons.
• In open spaces, keeping the size of the space/ground in view, and with strict observance of social distancing, mandatory wearing of face masks, provision for thermal scanning and hand wash or sanitizer.

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States issues guidelines

Most states like Maharashtra, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi have issued detailed guidelines for Durga Puja pandals. Maharashtra has still has not opened religious places of worship, facing the ire of the Opposition and the Governor. On the other hand, Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has said that cancelling Durga puja revelry was not an option, urging people to follow COVID protocol - while announcing Rs. 50,000 for each Durga puja committee in the state. This move has been questioned by the Calcutta High Court.

Unlock 5 guidelines: Cinemas to open with 50% capacity, states to decide on schools

Unlock 5

On October 1, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) relaxed lockdown restrictions and has now allowed the functioning of cinema halls, theaters, and multiplexes with upto 50% of their seating capacity from October 15. Business to business (B2B) exhibitions, swimming pools for the training of sportspersons, entertainment parks, and similar places will also be permitted to open for which the government has issued standard operating procedure (SOP). Social/academic/sports/entertainment/cultural/religious/political functions and other congregations have already been permitted with a ceiling of 100 persons, outside Containment Zones only.

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For the re-opening of schools and coaching institutions, State/ UT Governments have been given the flexibility to take a decision after October 15 in a graded manner. Online/distance learning shall continue to be the preferred mode of teaching and shall be encouraged. Schools, which are allowed to open, will have to mandatorily follow the SOP to be issued by Education Departments of States/ UTs. However, Higher Education Institutions only for research scholars (Ph.D) and post-graduate students in science and technology stream requiring laboratory/ experimental works will be permitted to open from October 15.