VIJAYAWADA: With nine-day Dasara festivities set to begin from October 17, Machilipatnam DSP Mehaboob Basha made it clear that permission would not be given for the festival committees to take out processions, arranging pandals and conduct cultural programmes in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic.
The DSP was speaking at a meeting held with the endowments officials, temple committees and pandal organisers at Machilipatnam Tahsildar Office on Thursday.
Mehaboob Basha said that temples should strictly adhere to the Covid-19 guidelines and ensure that all devotees wear masks and follow physical distancing.
Special rituals should be conducted in the sanctum sanctorum and there should be no distribution of prasadam among devotees.
Only 30 devotees should be allowed at once and the number should be reduced based on the size of the temple.
This apart, fire extinguishers and CCTV cameras should be installed on the temple premises, the DSP informed.