Odisha issues fresh guidelines for marriages, funerals; here’s all you need to know

Bhubaneswar: The office of the Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) has come out with detailed guidelines to govern marriage and cremation ceremonies in the state amid COVID-19 outbreak.

The norms have mandated mandatory permission from the local authorities either in writing or in electronic forms. It also restricts the number of people, fixes liability on the hosts and also talks about how to go about such functions.

“Marriage and its related functions shall be held only with prior permission (in writing or through electronic communication) of the local police station. Local police stations have been authorised to give permission for allowing marriages and related functions subject to participation of maximum 50,” it said.

SRC office said that the same guideline applies for cremations but guest list has been restricted to 20 persons maximum.

The SRC guidelines urge the hosts to ensure provisions for handwashing while maintaining social distancing in both the functions.

These apart, the norms ask people above 65 years of age, kids below 10 years of age and pregnant women not to visit such functions. It has put the onus on the host and manager for rule violations.

Besides, SRC office said that guests could also be persecuted for rule violations.

Here are the detailed guidelines for marriage and funeral related functions during COVID-19 pandemic in the state:

Marriage and related functions: 

1. Marriage and its related functions shall be held only with prior permission (in writing or through electronic communication) of the local police station.
2. Local Police Station will be authorised to give permission for holding marriage and its related functions subject to participation of maximum 50 (Fifty) persons.
3. There will be no marriage procession until further orders.
4. Total participants in the marriage function at the marriage venue including groom, bride, family members of groom & bride, friends, relatives, guests, priests, personnel of support services like food’ preparation and distribution, etc. put together will not exceed 50 (fifty) cumulatively.
5. Local police authorities will ensure that under no circumstances more than 50 persons participate in the marriage ceremony.
6. Other permissions, if any required, shall be obtained from the competent authority (ies) and conditions therein shall be complied with.
7. Persons with symptoms of Influenza-Like Infection (lLI) and Severe Acute Respiratory infection (SARI) shall not be allowed to the marriage venue/ function.
8. Vulnerable groups of people, such as, persons above 65 years of age, children below 10 years, persons with co-morbidities and pregnant women are advised not to attend the function.
9. At least 2-meter physical distance shall be maintained between individuals during marriage function.
10. All persons in the marriage venue shall mandatorily use face mask during the entire period of the function except during eating.
11. Chewing of gutka and paan and spitting in public is strictly prohibited. The father/ guardian of the groom shall ensure adherence to this.
12. The host of the marriage will ensure elaborate arrangement for handwashing with soap and water and also ensure availability of hand sanitisers.
13. The seating and dining arrangement shall be done in such a way that at least 2-metre physical distance is maintained between individuals.

Liability for violation, if any:

1. The host and the owner/ manager of the marriage venue/ premises shall be held responsible for ensuring the guidelines and will be liable for legal action in case of any violation.
2. The participants in the marriage function will also be held responsible for violation of conditions, if any, on their part and shall be liable for legal action.

Funeral and related functions: 

1. Funeral and its related functions shall be held with prior permission (in writing or through electronic communication) of the local police station.
2. However, cremation can be carried out under intimation to the local police station in writing or through electronic communication. Where the cremation is to be done at a place within the area of a police station other than the police station area in which the death has occurred, intimation has to be given to both the police stations.
3. The number of persons participating in the funeral function including the family members, relatives, friends, priests, drivers and staff of vehicles and others taken together shall not exceed 20 (Twenty).
4. At least 2-meter physical distance shall be maintained between individuals in the funeral function.
5. The seating and dining arrangement shall be done in such a way that at least 2-metre physical distance is maintained between individuals.
6. All persons participating in the funeral function shall mandatorily use face mask during the entire period of activities except during eating/ bathing.
7. Chewing of gutka and paan and spitting in public is strictly prohibited. The host of the funeral function shall ensure adherence to this.
8. No vehicle used in the procession shall carry persons beyond its seating capacity.
9. The hosts of the funeral ceremony will ensure elaborate arrangement for handwashing with soap and water and also ensure availability of hand sanitisers.
10. It will be the responsibility of the host of the funeral function to ensure that the provisions of these guidelines are strictly followed including the ceiling on the number of persons to attend the funeral ceremony.
11. The owner/ manager of the premises of the funeral function shall also be held responsible for ensuring the guidelines in the premises and liable for legal action in case of any violation.

PNN