Impose local restrictions during upcoming festivals: Centre tells states

It is strongly advised that states may consider to limit/do away with mass gatherings during the upcoming festivals, a Health Ministry official told states in a letter

Amid a spike in COVID-19 infections in some parts of the country, the Centre on Wednesday 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, stated that the battle 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,