Jamshedpur declares dry day on March 18, use of loudspeakers banned during Holi, social media under scanner  

Jamshedpur, March 15: Jadhav Vijaya Narayan Rao DC East Singhbhum and senior superintendent of police (SSP) M Tamil Vanan on Tuesday while addressing the over 100 peace committee members (thana level committees comprising local vigilantes to act as a bridge between administration and masses) at the Michael John Auditorium in Bistupur said that the cyber cell of the district police and local thana will be keeping watch over social media platforms and loud speaker operators.The officials noted that on March 18, there will be a ban on playing loudspeakers from 10 pm to 6 am. If it is violated at any place, an FIR under section 188 will be registered. All liquor shops in the district will remain closed on March 18 on the occasion of Holi. Before this, the Police Administration and the Excise Department will ensure action against illegal liquor bases by running a joint campaign. In view of Holi festival, instructions were given to Executive Engineer Drinking Water, Sanitation Division and Municipal Executive Officer to ensure water supply from 12 o’clock to 04 o’clock on March 18. All the stations in-charges will fix the traffic system. Driving drunk and driving vehicles without masks should be done as per rules. The sub-divisional officer should provide the I card to the active member of the peace committee in the concerned area.

“The cyber cell of the district police will be keeping a tab on provocative and incendiary messages being circulated in the whatsapp, Twitter and other social media platforms. We also requested the peace committee members to be cautious on the spread of such contents in social media platforms and immediately inform the administration about the WhatsApp group,” said SSP.

 The SSP further said that notices have been sent to all the nearby DJ operators in the city and outskirts to desist from playing communally sensitive and vulgar music during Holi.

 The SSP also asked the peace committee members to make aware youths against getting distracted through social media messages without getting it confirmed from thana and administration.

According to police sources, more than 3000 jawans would be on duty during the Holi festivity while traffic police and excise department officials will be jointly carrying out drives against rash driving and drunken driving through breathalysers.

The commission members also asked respective district administrations to bolster the existing peace committees at the thana, block, sub-division and district level.

 “The peace committees play a crucial role in curbing spread of communal frenzy in the locality and should involve youths and old having clean image and we have asked the district administration to involve as many such members in the peace committees at every level and regularly hold meetings especially in view of several festivities like Holi, Ramnavami etc before the elections” added a member.

 The committee also informed about the work done for minority welfare both by the Central government and the state government.