Govt bandobast to avoid watery grave during Durga immersion
With curtains on Durga Puja, Delhi Government has made elaborate arrangements at ghats of Mayur Vihar, Geeta Colony and Okhla ahead of the Durga’s visarjan on Mahadashami.
Wooden barricades have been erected at the ghats of Mayur Vihar and Geeta Colony in East district at a safe distance of 3 metres to prevent the risk of drowning. Display boards have been at prominent places spell the dos and don’ts for the groundswell of faithful. “We are expecting around 2,000 people at the ghats,” said Kunal, District Magistrate, East Delhi. Fire tenders are also at hand in case of an emergency, he added. Rescue boats and lifeguards are also in place should a need arise. Police, civic defence volunteers have been deployed for crowd management. “CCTV cameras have been installed at ghats. There will be a senior security officer to oversee the arrangements,” Kunal added.
The administration has asked devotees to follow instructions of the ground staff and coordinate with the authorities to keep Yamuna clean and free of toxic waste.
While tens of thousands of devotees converge at ghats on Day 10 of Durga Puja each year, the ramifications can be environmentally hazardous. “The immersion of Durga is a religious affair, on one hand, and threatens the fragile ecosystem, on the other,” said Anil Kumar, an environment scientist.