Karnataka bans public gatherings during festivals

Bengaluru: As a precautionary measures to contain the spread of coronavirus, the State Disaster Management Authority (SDMA) on Thursday directed the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner, Deputy Commissioners and other authorities concerned to ban public gatherings and congregations during the upcoming religious festivals like Ugadi, Holi, Shab-e-Barat, Good Friday etc., in public places.

"Commissioner, BBMP, all Deputy Commissioners, and all authorities concerned shall ensure strict compliance of this order and shall adequately inform and sensitize the field functionaries about these instructions for strict compliance, in letter and spirit.

In case any person is found violating the aforesaid instructions, the defaulting person(s) shall be proceeded against as per the provisions of section 51 to 60 of Disaster Management Act, 2005, Section 188 of IPC and Section 4, 5 and 10 of the Karnataka Epidemic Diseases Adt 2020," said the order signed by P Ravi Kumar, Chief Secretary, Government of Karnataka .