Prayagraj, Jan 11 : Saints and seers, setting up their camps in five sectors of the Magh Mela, have restricted the numbers of their devotees staying inside camps.
This step has been taken to ensure social distancing and help the district administration in following the safety protocols for Covid.
Swami Vinayak Baba said: "I have allowed only 200 followers to stay at the camp and ensure strict implementation of social distancing.
Earlier, there were around 2,000 followers who used to stay inside the camp.
"We have also set up a special counter for sanitisers and masks.
A team of followers armed with thermal scanner would be screening devotees and pilgrims entering camp premises and will make sure that they wear masks and use sanitisers."
Majority of the ashrams have also installed a CCTV network to monitor the movement of pilgrims inside their premises.
Swami Adhyakshanand said: "Installation of sanitisers at entry gates of ashrams, compulsion of wearing mask, and social distancing while attending spiritual or yoga sessions would be mandatory for devotees and pilgrims while attending camps of seers and saints.
We know our responsibilities and are appealing to devotees and pilgrims arriving at the Mela campus to follow Covid protocol for the safety of each and every individual."
Meanwhile, officials of health department are working overtime to give special Covid Care Cards (CCC) to seers, saints and kalpvasis camping in the Mela area and the CCC will help authorities track the status of their health.
Health teams have already started the screening of visitors at all 16 entry points and 32 more teams have been assigned to visit camps in all five sectors of Mela to track the health records of people who have started staying in the Mela township.
The Magh Mela will take place Prayagraj between January 14 and March 11.
--IANS
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Source: IANS
