Hola Mohalla fair begins at Dera Baba Badbhag Singh today

The district administration held a meeting at Dera Baba Badbhag Singh in Amb subdivision of Una to review the arrangements for the Hola Mohalla festival to be held at the Dera from February 24 to March 4. District Magistrate Jatin Lal also notified orders under Section 163 of the BNSS and banned the carrying of firearms by any person in the district, except by police personnel on duty during the period of the fair.

Chintpurni MLA Sudarshan Babloo, Amb SDM Paras Aggarwal, Additional SP Sanjeev Bhatia and officers of all departments concerned, besides organising committee members from Dera Baba Badbhag Singh, Manji Sahib and Charan Ganga attended the meeting. To check noise pollution, the use of PA systems, playing of drums and musical instruments on roads within the jurisdiction of the Hola Mohalla fair has been banned.

Bhatia said about 1,000 police personnel and 750 Home Guard jawans would be on duty to maintain law and order during the fair. Since about nine lakh devotees visit the shrine during the fair, the venue had been divided into 10 sectors, each under the command of a Sector Magistrate and a Sector Police Officer. Besides, the Health Department had made arrangements of emergency medical assistance, while the Jal Shakti Department and HP State Electricity Board Ltd had been told to ensure uninterrupted power and water supply.

The district administration has decided to deny entry to devotees from other states coming on double-decked trucks, tempos and tractors. Such vehicles would be stopped at the inter-state barriers and the devotees would have to travel further only by bus or taxi. The Nishan Sahib would be hoisted at the Dera on March 3.