The Lakhimpur district administration has imposed prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC to curb the collection of donations.
Lakhimpur district magistrate and deputy commissioner Khargeswar Pegu passed the order on April 12.
The order prohibits the financial collection, forceful donation/roadside collection/extortion in any manner or form, from any person, business establishment, office or intimidation of such kind by any person or organization throughout Lakhimpur district.
The order has been passed ex-parte due to the exigency of the situation.
The order has come as a relief for many small-time traders and the business community in the district as their economy has been badly hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, the sharing of the same order by the Lakhimpur Police on its Facebook page has drawn flak by some organizations.
The North Lakhimpur unit of the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) criticized the Lakhimpur Police for posting the order saying that the police should clarify their alleged regular collection of money from the illegal cattle peddlers, gutkha dealers and from the infamous fake gold rackets of the district.
Meanwhile, thousands of people have been seen thronging the markets of North Lakhimpur and other places for Bihu shopping without adhering to the Covid-19 restrictions imposed by the district administration.