VIJAYAWADA: Holi is likely to be a low-key affair in Vijayawada as the police have denied permission for public celebration in the wake of rapid surge in coronavirus cases.
City police commissioner Bathini Sreenivasulu, in a meeting here on Saturday, instructed all station house officers to identify Marvadi, Jain, Punjabi and other communities that celebrate the festival with grandiosity in the city.
The festival, which will be celebrated on Sunday and Monday, is expected to see community celebrations in areas like One-town, Gollapudi Jain Colony, Guru Nanak Colony, Bank Colony and Labbipet. “Owing to the surge in Covid-19 cases in the city, we have banned private and community celebrations.
Public gathering will create additional problems in the wake of a pandemic,” said the commissioner. The CP mentioned that celebrations in resorts, hotels, open spaces and housing societies within the city limits are also banned and strict action would be taken against violators of the order under relevant provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.