Chennai: Tamilnadu government today granted permission to allow devotees inside small places of worship within Corporation limits from 10 August.
A statement from Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said that Temples, Mosques and Churches with annual income of less than Rs 10,000 can be opened. Standard operating proceedures should be followed inside the temple premises.
Permission to open the temples should be sought from the respective District Collectors. As far as Chennai is concerned, permission should be sought from Greater Chennai Corporation Commissioner, he said.
It may be noted that temples with annual revenue of less than Rs 10,000 out the Corporation limits were granted permissions to allow devotees from 1 August.
For the first time after the coronavirus-induced lockdown came into effect in the last week of March, temples in village areas of Tamilnadu started allowing devotees from 1 July, by following strict rules issued by the government.
The rules include prohibition for physical offerings like prasadam, distribution or sprinkling of holy water to be allowed inside the religious place. Offerings such as coconut, fruits and flowers shall not be allowed. During poojas and abishekam, the public must not be allowed to sit inside and witness the event, the SOP said.
In view of the potential health issues, devotees may be discouraged to do prostration /angapradhatchanam till normalcy returns. Apart from small temples, mosques, darghas, churches and other religious places in rural areas would also be open for public worship in Tamilnadu from today.
People above 65 years of age, pregnant women and children below the age of 10 years and those with co-morbiditie are advised to stay at home. Only asymptomatic persons are allowed to enter into religious places.
Touching of statues, idols and holy books, are not to be allowed. The devotees will have to maintain a distance of six feet and wear a mask. Installation and use of Arogya Setu App is advised.