Decision to reopen religious places will depend on COVID-19 situation: CS

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 23, 2020

Chief Secretary, MS Roa said the standard operating procedures (SOPs) for reopening of religious places in the state will be finalized in the next meeting.

He informed this after chairing a meeting of the government constituted sub-committee with the representatives of different religious organizations under the banner of the Shillong All Faiths Forum (SAFF) on Wednesday.

“We have discussed at length and we have agreed on the SOPs. There will be one more consultation at the level of the Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong and then we will finalise the SOPs,” Roa told reporters.

Asked, the chief secretary said, “Tentatively, we said it (reopening of religious places) will be in the first week of October but the final call will be taken in the last week of September (depending on the COVID-19 situation in the state).”

On the other hand, SAFF president, Bishop P Lyngdoh said that the Forum is not pressurizing the government to open up the places of worship in the state.

“We have not asked for that as (the decision of) opening up is the prerogative of the government,” he said.

Lyngdoh said that as requested, the Forum is just helping the government in formulating the SOPs adding that whenever the government decides to open up, these SOPs will come into place.  

The SAFF chief further informed that the recommendations made by the Forum have been taken into consideration and will be amalgamated along with the SOPs of the government.

He said the suggestion regarding the number of attendees in any place of worship that it should be one-third of the space available has been accepted.

According to him, this is because the earlier SOPs of the government which says that either 100 or one-third is found to be confusing for many people especially in the rural areas.  

“We have also suggested that in some churches they have a compound attached to the church building. So instead of having church services inside with the spacing earmarked, services can be held outside but not simultaneously,” Lyngdoh said.

“The government SOPs said for special ceremonies, names be submitted in advance but we say that it is not convenient and that we be allowed to maintain the records and as and when required we will give the names,” he said.