The Dakshina Kannada district administration on Saturday lifted restrictions on the entry of devotees and the performance of sevas in two popular pilgrimage centres in the district, Dharmasthala and Kukke Subrahmanya, with immediate effect. In his order, Deputy Commissioner K.V. Rajendra, however, put a rider on those intending to render sevas at temples in these places. Such devotees should possess RT-PCR negative certificate not older than 72 hours despite being fully vaccinated, he said.
Besides, all the staff in the two pilgrimage centres, including priests and administrative staff, should compulsorily undergo an RT-PCR test once a fortnight and possess COVID-19 negative certificate, the DC said.
All COVID-19 protocol should compulsorily be followed in the temples and their management may arrange vaccination centres to inoculate devotees who were not yet vaccinated, Dr. Rajendra said.
Managements should attempt to minimise the number of sevas performed in the temples as far as possible, the DC said, adding managements should ensure there was no crowding at places of the seva performance.
The move comes in the backdrop of the reduction in the number of COVID-19 positive cases in the district, he said. Also, Dharmasthala Dharmadhikari D. Veerendra Heggade and Kukke Subrahmanya Temple executive officer urged the DC on Friday to lift the restrictions, he said.
For over a month, the district administration had imposed curbs on devotees visiting popular temples in the district, including prohibition of entry into temples on Saturdays and Sundays. Sevas were not allowed to be performed during the weekdays during which time darshan was allowed between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Devotees intending to stay at these places were expected to produce COVID-19 negative certificate while no stay was to be offered during weekends.
