BHOPAL: Despite the collector guidelines to close religious places, they are still open in the state capital. There is always a rush of devotees to these places. The administration, itself, admits that the collector’s orders have not been enforced in the state capital so far.
Collector Avinash Lavania, in his order, had clearly instructed that religious places should be closed to check public assembly in view of the increasing number of corona cases in the city. Only one or two spiritual leaders were allowed to perform customary puja, or prayers in religious places as a routine instead of a mass gathering of devotees. Even in churches, only 20 people were allowed at a time for prayers.
These guidelines were tossed to the winds—not only by the public, but by the administration, itself. Devotees are still visiting these shrines en masse to offer obeisance.
Similarly, people are still seen moving about in the markets in large numbers without masks despite warnings and stiff fines. The administration has to enforce masks and discourage gatherings and assemblies in any form or in any place. However, the administration has started distributing masks in public. Even the state government has stressed the importance of raising awareness in public with the support of the religious leaders for implementation of such protocols as putting on masks, maintaining social distancing and so forth.
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