Keeping in view of the trouble faced by the artistes and other people engaged in mobile theatres due to Covid19 pandemic, the Assam government has allowed the theatres to function with some restrictions.
Informing this, Assam health minister Keshab Mahanta in a press conference on Friday said the state government has issued a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for performances by mobile theatres with effect from Friday.
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The responsibility of district/sub-divisional administration in mobile theatre performance:
Mobile theatre performances will be allowed only in areas where there is no containment zone or where sufficient numbers of people have not recently been infected by Covid19, health minister Mahanta said.
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The deputy commissioner (DC)/sub-divisional officer (civil) will ensure that all the office-bearers and the members of the organizing committees are fully vaccinated.
Theatre groups will be allowed to stage shows with conditions as per the Covid19 rules and regulations issued by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA).
The district/sub-divisional administration will at any time check whether the Covid rules and the standard operating procedure (SOP), applicable to mobile theatres, have been followed in the place of the theatre.
In case of violation, the permission to perform by the theatre group will be immediately revoked and the district/sub-divisional administration will take legal action against the organizing committee and the theatre group.
If required, the district/sub-divisional administration will make arrangements for administering the first or second dose of the Covid19 vaccine to the left-out people at the place of the theatre or an adjoining area.
Responsibilities of the local organizing committee of the mobile theatre:
Written permission must be obtained from the district/sub-divisional administration with a written assurance that the organizing committee will fully abide by the Covid rules and the SOP for mobile theatres.
It is compulsory for all the office-bearers, members, volunteers of the organizing committee to take two doses of Covid19 vaccine.
Audiences without masks can be allowed to enter the theatre hall by arranging masks from the side of the organizers. Hand sanitizer should be provided at each entrance.
The organizer must visibly print on the tickets the words ‘Everyone should follow the Covid rules’ and ‘Everyone should take the Covid vaccine’.
The organizing committee should announce using mike in the theatre area as well as in the surrounding area that the people should follow Covid rule and take Covid vaccine.
The organizing committee should stop the performance of the play long before the commencement of the curfew so that the spectators can return to their homes on time.
Responsibilities of mobile theatre producers’ group, artists, craftsmen and staff:
It is compulsory for every member of the mobile theatre group, including producers, artistes, artisans and employees, to take two doses of Covid vaccine.
The theatre authorities must submit ‘self-declaration letter’ to the district/sub-divisional administration through the organizing committee in advance regarding full vaccination by all who are engaged in the theatre group.
Seating should be arranged at a specified distance in the hall while maintaining minimum social distance between the spectators.
RAT/RT-PCR test for Covid19 is mandatory for every member of the theatre every two weeks.
The members of the theatre group will have to show the latest Covid19 negative certificate if the district/sub-divisional administration seeks it.
Before the performance of the play in the theatres, in the middle and at the end, there should be announcements asking the audience to follow Covid rules, maintain social distancing and get vaccinated.
The performance of the night should be completed long before the evening curfew so that the audience can return to their homes before the commencement of the curfew.
In case of violation of the SOP and the rules & regulations set by the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), legal action will be taken against the owner of the theatre group and the organising committee.
Depending on the Covid19 situation, the government will bring the required modifications to this Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) in due course, the health minister said.