<span style="color: #222222;">In view of upcoming festivals, the Centre has asked the States to take all necessary measures to regulate crowds by ensuring strict observance of COVID appropriate behaviours. They include wearing of mask and maintaining social distance. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">In a letter to State Chief Secretaries while citing upcoming festivals including Holi, Shab-e-Barart and Easter, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla urged them to issue necessary instructions to the District Administrations and Police Authorities to scrupulously  enforce COVID norms and SoPs in all public gatherings during these festivals. He also asked States to launch awareness campaign to sensitize the people in this regard.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> Earlier, Union Health Ministry had also advised States and Union Territories to consider on imposing local restrictions during these festivals and limit mass gatherings in view of rising cases of COVID-19.</span><br />''  <br />