BHUBANESWAR: After a long long wait, cinema halls and theatres will finally open their doors to the audience from January 1. The State government on Wednesday announced the Unlock 8 measures for January allowing reopening of cinema halls and theatres with 50 per cent (pc) capacity. They will have to operate as per the standard operating procedures (SOP) issued by the Central and State governments like maintenance of physical distancing in seating, sanitisation and other measures.
“The local authorities can also allow open air theatres, jatras and entertainment subject to compliance of safety protocols,” the advisory stated. Social/religious/sports and other gatherings with a ceiling of 200 persons in strict adherence to the Covid safety protocol will also continue through the month.Even as the Chief Minister had recently announced that any decision on reopening of schools and colleges will be taken by his office only, the new guidelines has again entrusted the responsibility on the departments of School and Mass Education, Higher Education, Skill Development and Technical Education.
The departments can take a call on reopening of schools and colleges in a graded manner with necessary SOP in January after consulting stakeholders and issuing necessary guidelines. All academic, technical and skill development institutions, except medical colleges, will remain closed until the departments issue guidelines for resuming classes. The closure of institutions, notwithstanding, conduct of examinations, evaluation, training and administrative activities and online learning have been permitted.
The government has continued with its earlier guidelines on wedding gatherings with 200 persons, but enhanced the ceiling for funeral and last rites related congregations up to 100 people. Exhibitions have been permitted with visitors up to 50 pc of the hall capacity subject to a maximum ceiling of 200 persons. Local authorities will take decision on the number of visitors in case of open space exhibitions.
Collectors and Municipal Commissioners have been permitted to allow opening of places of worship based on local assessment following consultation with stakeholders.
Reiterating that consumption of liquor, paan, gutka, tobacco and spitting in public places are prohibited, the guidelines issued by the Special Relief Commissioner added the lockdown will re-enforced in containment zones and surveillance for ILI and SARI cases will be carried out in buffer zones.
Unlock 8.0
What’s Allowed
Cinema halls, theatres with 50% seating capacity
Social, religious, sports &
other gatherings with a ceiling of 200 persons
Funeral and last rites congregations with 100 persons
Open air theatres, jatras and entertainment parks