Ranchi district administration announced the imposition of prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC within city limits on Tuesday in view of the two-day Holi festival on March 28 and 29.

The order, enforced in areas under the jurisdiction of Sadar sub-divisional office, also banned the use of DJs and loudspeakers, airing songs or speeches hurting religious sentiments and rallies or processions.

While the administration has not issued any specific directive on Holi Milans (gatherings) that are already taking place across the district in spite of a surge in Covid-19 cases, the district Covid-19 task force, headed by the deputy commissioner, has banned all kinds of religious processions on the occasion of Sarhul, a tribal festival that is scheduled to be held in the second week of April.

Ramnavami will fall days ahead of Sarhul, which officials said, would also be restricted.

Deputy commissioner Chhavi Ranjan, after chairing a meeting of the task force, said, “Although the state government’s earlier unlock orders have already banned religious processions and gatherings, the district administration is issuing a fresh notification to reinforce the orders in toto in view of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Both SDOs—Utkarsh Gupta of Bundu sub- division and Sameera S of Ranchi Sadar _ have been directed to notify the curbs.”

Covid cases in the state, including Ranchi, have seen a rise in recent weeks. In one week, active cases in the state almost doubled to 800.

Ranjan said the district administration was stepping up measures to curb infections, which he feared, may rise during the upcoming festivities. “At Tuesday's meeting, concerned officials have been directed to intensify testing at transit points like the airport and railway stations. At railway stations, our main focus is to minutely scan travellers coming from Maharashtra and Kerala,” he said.

Ranchi civil surgeon V. B. Prasad has been directed to increase testing facilities at transit points if the need arises, he added.

On contract tracing and other measures, Ranjan said all officials and frontline workers have been asked to revisit all procedures to prevent any confusion in the wake of the spike in cases. “We are getting ready for the battle again. Besides keeping a record of availability of hospital beds at Covid centres, everyone has been asked to follow prescribed SOPs and send daily reports to the headquarters,” he said.