The Union government asked states to consider imposing local restrictions for Holi and other upcoming festivals in view of the spike in COVID-19 infections.
The Centre today asked states and union territories to consider imposing local restrictions in public observance of the upcoming festivals and limit or do away with mass gatherings for effective control of the pandemic.
Additional Secretary in the Health Ministry Arti Ahuja, in a letter to state chief secretaries and union territory administrators, informed that the fight against COVID-19 is at a critical juncture with rising number of cases and deaths being reported from many parts in the recent past.
"...in view of upcoming festivals such as Holi, Shab-e-Barat, Bihu, Easter and Eid-ul-Fitr, etc., it is strongly advised that states may consider imposing local restrictions in public observance of these festivals and limit/do away with mass gatherings in exercise of the powers conferred under Section 22 of the Disaster Management Act, 2005," the letter read.
Any laxity at this level in guaranteeing strict adherence to varied SOPs issued by the Ministry of Health to comprise the unfold of Covid-19 might lead to dropping the impetus and advantages that our nation has gained thus far in managing the virus. Strict adherence to Covid-19-appropriate behaviour in public locations and gathering is the important thing to interrupt the chain of transmission and scale back the incidence of instances within the nation,” the letter acknowledged.
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