10 lakh devotees expected for Hola Mohalla fair in Una

Our Correspondent

UNA, MARCH 13

The annual Hola Mohalla fair will be held at the Dera Baba Badbhag Singh shrine in Mairi village of Una district from March 17 to 28 during which about 10 lakh devotees from Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and the neighbouring states pay obeisance at the shrine.

No permission for goods carriers

• Deputy Commissioner Jatin Lal appealed to the people to travel to the Dera in buses and passenger vehicles only and avoid entering the state in goods carriers, keeping in view their own safety and complying with road safety laws.
• He said this was a major cause of accidents every year since negotiating steep curves in the hills of Una district became difficult.
• The ADC said goods carrier vehicles transporting people will not be allowed to enter the boundaries of Una district at the inter-state barriers.

Deputy Commissioner Jatin Lal appealed to the people to travel to the Dera in buses and passenger vehicles only and avoid entering the state in goods carriers, keeping in view their own safety and complying with road safety regulations.

The DC said despite repeated appeals, devotees, particularly from neighbouring state, enter the state in tractors, tempos and trucks, most of which are temporarily made into two decks to accommodate more passengers. He said this was a major cause of accidents every year since negotiating steep curves in the hills of Una district became difficult.

In this connection, ADC Mahender Pal Gurjar, who has been designated as the Mela Magistrate, held a virtual meeting with the administrative and police officers of Ropar, Nawanshahr and Hoshiarpur districts of Punjab. He said inter-state coordination would be ensured between the officers

Gurjar said goods carrier vehicles transporting people will not be allowed to enter the boundaries of Una district at the inter-state barriers. He called for joint barriers of the Himachal and Punjab police on the inter-state borders during the fair.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Jatin Lal today promulgated Section 144 IPC in Una district in view of the rush of devotees coming from different parts of the country. He said carrying of firearms, except by authorised security personnel on duty, will be strictly prohibited. In order to prevent noise pollution, using of public address systems except by the control room, Dera Baba Badbhag Singh Manji Sahib and Charan Ganga authorities will be banned.

As per the orders, use of brass bands, drums and other musical instruments at the mela premises, putting up ‘langars’ without permission of authorities, littering waste in the open and use of polythene bags will also remain banned. Those found flouting the orders will be booked under the relevant sections of the law, said Jatin Lal.

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