Section 144 extended till Sept 30 in Noida

Noida The Gautam Budh Nagar police commissionerate on Tuesday extended the imposition of prohibitory orders under Section 144 till September 30 in the wake of upcoming festivals amid the pandemic

Noida The Gautam Budh Nagar police commissionerate on Tuesday extended the imposition of prohibitory orders under Section 144 till September 30 in the wake of upcoming festivals amid the pandemic.

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“In the view of upcoming festivals such as Vishwakarma puja, Guru Dronacharya festival, among others, during September, there are chances that anti-social elements would create issues and social disturbance,” said Shraddha Pandey, additional deputy commissioner of police, law and order, in a police notice. The order bans the assembly of five or more persons.

According to the order, no activities in public places will be allowed without masks and social distancing while night curfew will continue to remain in place from 10pm to 6am. All activities, apart from medical and essential services, will be prohibited in containment zone.

”No communal, political, or sports activities will be allowed without permission from the concerned departments. While gyms, movie theatres, malls, restaurants, sweet shops, etc., will continue to operate with 50% occupancy, only a maximum of 50 guests will be allowed to attend wedding ceremonies while swimming pools will continue to remain shut. Religious places will also not have more than 50 worshippers at a time. And there will be a complete ban on celebratory firing. Public transport will be allowed with 50% occupancy, and auto-rickshaws with three passengers and four-wheelers with four persons at a time,” read the order.

According to the Covid-19 guidelines, a ban on protests, hunger strikes, and processions will remain in place. Strict action will be taken against those consuming liquor or narcotics in public places, and sparking uproar on social media by sharing objectionable or sensitive content, the order added.

Unfair means during any competitive examinations will not be used under any circumstances while gathering fo more than five people or playing oud sounds within 200 yards of any exam centre will not be allowed, said police officials.

The Covid-19 guidelines, as part of imposition of fresh prohibitory orders under CrPC Section 144, will remain in place till September 30, and violators will be booked under relevant Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections, Pandey said on Saturday.

The Covid-19 outbreak was declared a pandemic in March 2020, and the safety guidelines are being revised constantly, according to a statement issued by the Noida police department.