March 25: The Kamrup (metro) district administration today passed an order prohibiting people from smearing colours on strangers or throwing anything at vehicles plying on the roads on Holi.
The administration has prohibited, under Section 144 CrPC, the throwing or smearing of coloured powder, water, paints, paint-like materials and any other objectionable material either on any person or vehicle in the district.
“We have passed the order to avoid any untoward incident, so that the festival passes off peacefully. The main objective should be to celebrate Holi in a peaceful and decent manner. Besides, one cannot force anyone to play with colours against his or her wishes. But many times we have seen people getting drunk and throwing colours or objectionable material on passing people and private vehicles plying on the roads, which results in heated arguments,” said Kamrup (metro) deputy commissioner Ashutosh Agnihotri.
The district administration plans to provide a helpline where a person can lodge a complaint against anyone who may have forcibly smeared colours on him or her. “We will be providing a certain telephone number where people facing any kind of trouble on the roads can call and lodge a complaint against those troubling him or her. We have also asked the police to exercise their vigilance to maintain law and order in the district,” said Agnihotri.
City police are also taking due measures to make sure that law and order prevails in the district during the festivities. Holi is one annual occasion when a large number of drink driving incidents and road accidents occur.
“We have already prepared a detailed plan on ways to maintain law and order and have instructed all the police stations to exercise extra vigilance during the festival. We will also be using breath analysers to check whether drivers are driving under the influence of alcohol. Those found violating traffic norms would be penalised according to rules. Anyone found breaking the law and engaging in anti-social activities will not be spared,” said A.P Tiwari, SSP (city).
