As lakhs of devotees of lord Shiva from all over the country are expected to visit the holy city of Haridwar (Har-Ki-Pauri) to fetch Ganga water during the fortnight-long Kanwar mela slated to begin on Sunday, elaborate security arrangements have been put in place.
A large number of security personnel have been deployed at all prominent temples and sensitive places.If you see police personnel busy on their smart phone then don’t get confused because they have been directed to be vigilant in their jurisdiction and keep updating their information on whatApps during the mela, said Garhwal Range Deputy Inspector General of Police Amit Sinha.
Sinha said, "In order to facilitate peaceful conduct of Kanwar mela, police personnel have been deployed at their assigned place from Saturday evening and they have been told to be vigilant against anti-social elements who would create disturbances at the mela. The administration has almost completed repairing the path along the canal used by kanwarias. All necessary arrangements for water, electricity and other facilities are being made in the district."
He further said that the mela area has been divided into six super zones, 23 zones and 89 sectors. The mela control room will remain open 24 hours and officials deputed here can be contacted on the phone for water, electricity, traffic and medical problems. The police officers have been directed to use WhatsApp messenger on smart phones for coordination.
The control room has ambulance, firemen and policemen at its disposal at points along the mela routes. The police officers have been directed to ensure that no kanwarias carry hockey sticks, baseball bats, bamboo sticks and loudspeakers in their vehicles, he added.The police officers have been directed to behave politely with the kanwarias and action should be taken against those who take law into their hands.
The zonal and sector officers have been directed to allocate task of their subordinates on a daily basis and take measures ensuring peaceful conduct of this mela.A total of six additional SPs, 12 circle offices, 45 inspectors and police station in-charges, 232 sub-inspectors, 221 head constables, 1910 constables, 143 lady constables, six traffic sub- inspectors, 26 traffic head constables and 110 traffic constables, 13 companies of PAC jawans and two companies of the rapid action force have been deployed in Hardiwar.
In order to eliminate baggers, two bagger squads have been made and each squad is comprised of one head constable and two constables. Two control rooms for searching missing persons have been established and each team is comprised of two sub-inspectors and six constables. Nine DJ check posts have been established along district border areas. Teams of bomb disposal squad and dog squad have also been deployed and they have been directed to conduct checking regularly.
To control the crowd, four teams of horse riders have been formed and they have been deployed along various mela routes.Teams comprised of jal police, swimmers, PAC and policemen have also been deployed at various ghats.Fire tenders have been deployed at 18 places in the crowded areas of the district. A total of 16 kanwar mela committees have been formed which is comprised of 463 local senior and renowned citizens.