Home Secretary asks States to regulate festival crowds
India ‘passing through a critical juncture’ as number of COVID-19 cases and deaths have been rising
Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla wrote to all States on Friday “to take necessary measures to regulate crowds” during upcoming festivals by enforcing COVID-19 appropriate behaviour such as wearing of mask and maintaining social distancing.
Mr. Bhalla stated that the country was passing through a critical juncture as the number of COVID-19 cases and deaths have been on the rise in many States and Union Territories.
There was no direction for political rallies that are seeing huge crowds in poll-bound Assam, West Bengal, Kerala, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu.
The letter said that in view of the upcoming festivals such as “Holi, Shab-e Barat, harvesting festivals, Easter, Eid ul Fitr”, State governments and U.T. administrations should take necessary measures to regulate crowds as mandated in the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on March 23.
“After assessing the situation, guidelines for effective control of COVID 19 have been issued by MHA on 23.03.2021 wherein it has been emphasized that States/UTs should _ strictly enforce test track treat protocol, COVID 19 appropriate behaviour and prescribed SOPs on various activities, such as opening of schools, higher education institutions, hotels and restaurants, shopping malls, multiplexes, entertainment parks, gymnasiums, exhibitions etc. Further, States and UTs, based on their assessment of the situation, may impose local restrictions at district/sub district and cities/ward level,” the letter said.
The letter asked States to issue necessary instructions to the district administrations and police authorities to scrupulously enforce COVID-19 appropriate behaviour and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in all public gatherings during the upcoming festivals. It also asked States to intensify public awareness campaigns. “As has been emphasized time and again by health experts, strict adherence to COVID appropriate behaviour in public places and gatherings will help in breaking the chain of transmission and reduce the incidence of COVID cases in the country,” it said.
