Religious places will not reopen from Monday

Mosques in Goa to remain closed till June 30

NT NETWORK

Panaji

Fearing community transmission of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Association of All Goa Muslim Jamats on Saturday announced that mosques in Goa will remain closed till June 30.

The apex religious body of Muslims in the state urged the local masjid committees to not reopen mosques until June 30 as the cases have been on the rise in Goa, and the reopening could put the lives of the people at risk.

The decision to delay the reopening of the mosques was taken after the state witnessed a spike in COVID positive cases. The state government on Friday allowed religious places to reopen from June 8 provided no mass gatherings or group prayers are held in the premises.

“Keeping in mind the rapid increase of COVID positive cases in the state, we, the executive committee members of the Association of All Goa Muslim Jamats, have decided to delay the reopening of all masjids in the state of Goa till June 30 for safety of members of our community and society,” the statement issued by association president Shaikh Bashir Ahmed said.

The association asked the community and the imams to offer prayers till June 30 the way they have been doing.

It is quite difficult to maintain social distancing in and around religious places, which see huge footfall.

Goa’s churches won’t reopen from tomorrow

Panaji: Diocesan Centre for Social Communications Media, a Church body in the   state, said on Saturday that they are not in a position to declare churches in Goa open from June 8.

A statement issued by the DCSCM said, “We would like to inform our priests and the faithful that we are critically assessing the novel coronavirus-related fluid situation that has come upon our state and that, therefore, we are not in a position to declare our places of worship open from 8th of June. When we eventually decide to open up, with prudence, vigilance and careful discernment, it will be in consonance with the state government’s SOPs, which we expect to receive by then.” NT

Prominent temples in Ponda taluka to delay reopening

NT NETWORK

Ponda

Although the government has allowed temples in the state to reopen from Monday, managing committees of some prominent temples in  Ponda taluka have decided to delay reopening by a few more days owing to the recent spike in  COVID positive cases in the  state.

The managing committee of the Shree Kamakshi Temple, Shiroda,  has already issued a public notice about continuous closure   of the temple until further notice.

The Lord Manguesh Temple at Mangueshi too has considered not to reopen the  temple. However,  final  decision will be taken on Sunday,  temple officials said.

The Shree Kamakshi Temple committee in its notice said the recent spikes in COVID cases in Goa and neighbouring states have forced the committee to rethink on  reopening the temple.

The managing committee held a  meeting to review the situation and accordingly obtained ‘kaul prasad’ of Aiee Kamakshi.

However, the situation will be reviewed from time to time.

The decision has been taken keeping in mind the wellbeing of pujaris, villagers, devotees and public at large.  The temple committee  in the notice  urged  devotees to take advantage of online darshan of deity through the temple’s website.

Committee members of the Lord  Manguesh Temple  said that they are mulling extending the temple closure by a few more days. Several meetings were held over the matter.