Balangir, Dec. 29:A day before the Sulia festival in Khairguda, thedistrict administration today imposed prohibitory orders at the two main sites at Khairguda and Kumuria and four other places in the districtto curb the tradition of animal sacrifice, even as the tribal population vowed to carry out the practice during the festival tomorrow.

Mohan Bhoi ofSuliaSanskar Manch, an outfit that has been fighting against the tradition of animal sacrifice, alleged that the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animal, a government organisation, remained non-functional. He said the irony lied in the fact that the district collector was its chairman and the superintendent of police the vice-chairman of the organisation.

'The administration has been promulgating Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (prohibitory orders) at thefestivalsites for the past few years. Only orders will not serve the purpose, they need to implement it. Despite the orders, the villagers kill animals in the presence of the police and officials of the administration every year,' Bhoi said.

The district administration today imposed Section 144 of the CrPC at Bad Khala in Khairguda and San Khala in Kumuria to stop animal sacrifice. The orders were also imposed in four other places of Balangir district - Hirlimal, Mirdhapali, Kharlikani and Lower Suktel.

Sub-collector Brajabandhu Bhol, who heads the endowment department, said: 'We have taken the step to stop animal sacrifice during the festival. Force has been deployed, and three magistrates have been deputed to maintain law.'

Balangir superintendent of police Deepak Kumar said: 'We have also taken up many awareness programmes.'

However, the tribal residents want to go ahead and are determined to follow their age-old tradition.Maya Padhani, secretary of the Sulia Puja Committee at Khairguda and Kumuria, said the tradition would continue.'There is no question of going back on our stand. This is the tradition of the tribal people, and we will continue with it,' he said.

The festival is observed on the first Tuesday after the new moon day of Pausa month every year. Kondh tribals, who observe the festival, believe that offering the blood of animals and birds to Sulia, their traditional deity, brings peace and prosperity to their homes along with a good harvest.