Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Tuesday ordered that there will be no public celebrations in the national capital

New Delhi: In view of a persistent rise in Covid-19 cases, the Delhi Disaster Management Authority (DDMA) on Tuesday ordered that there will be no public celebrations in the national capital for upcoming festivals such as Holi and Navaratri.

Delhi Chief Secretary Vijay Dev directed authorities to ensure strict compliance of the order.

Holi

"All authorities concerned will ensure that public celebrations and gatherings, congregations during upcoming festivals like Holi, Shab-e-Barat, Navaratri etc shall not be allowed in public places/public grounds/public parks/markets/religious places etc in NCT of Delhi," Dev said in his order.

Delhi reported 1,101 Covid-19 cases on Tuesday, the highest in over three months, while four people succumbed to the disease during the same period, the health department said. It was the first time since December 24 that the city recorded more than 1,000 Covid-19 cases. 

It is anticipated that gatherings, congregations and public celebrations during the upcoming festivals like Holi, Shab-e-Barat, Navaratri may pose a considerable threat of the spread of the virus, it stated.

Coronavirus

"Considering this, it has been decided that public celebrations and all gatherings, congregations during upcoming festivals should not be allowed in public places," stated the DDMA order.

The chief secretary has directed all district magistrates, their counterpart district deputy commissioners of police and other authorities to ensure that gatherings are not allowed during the upcoming festivals.