Religious Trusts and Endowment Minister Brijmohan Agrawal chaired a review meeting to take stock of preparations underway for Rajim Kumbh Mela to be organised on the bank of confluence of three holy rivers in the district from February 22 to March 7 this year.
In the meeting, Agrawal reviewed the works and directed officials to complete the preparations by February 15. Agrawal informed that Raipur Division Commissioner Ashok Agrawal has been appointed as Mela Officer for successfully organising the event.
The Minister issued directives to ban plastic bags, and encourage use of bags made of cloth, jute or paper at the fair.
He said that budget provision for construction of ‘lakshman Jhula’ from Rajiv lochan Temple to Kuleshwar Mahadev Temple and lomash Rishi Temple has been done from Irrigation Department's budget.
Agrawal directed officials to organise exhibition and Krishi Mela for spreading awareness about public welfare schemes of the State Government. In the meeting, officials of Tourism Department were directed to set up Media Centre for ensuring wide publicity of the event and Culture Department was entrusted with the responsibility to organise cultural programmes.
The Minister gave instructions to PWD to arrange for barricading and parking arrangement within the given time limit.
The Irrigation Department has been directed to release river water three days before the commencement of the Mela and maintain minimum 3 feet water-level in Anicut.
The PHED will look after drinking water arrangement and temporary toilet arrangements, health services will be offered by the State Health Department.
Agrawal has directed Health Department to organise health camp and appoint a team of doctors at the Mela site.
likewise, Food Department has been entrusted with the responsibility to run Dal-Bhat Centre, Forest Department will supply bamboo and wood required, Transport Department will run sufficient number of buses on routes of Raipur, Dhamtari, Gariaband, Mahasamund districts, Energy Department will look after lighting arrangements, and Police Department will be in-charge of parking and security arrangements.
Police Department will also appoint home guards in buses. Members of organising committee present in the meeting also gave suggestions for success of the event.
In the meeting, Parliamentary Secretary Govardhan Manjhi, Rajim MlA Santosh Upadhyay, Abhanpur MlA Dhanendra Sahu, former Minister and MP Pawan Diwan, Chairman of Chhattisgarh State Cooperative Bank (APEX) Ashok Bajaj, Special Secretary of Culture and Tourism Department Santosh Kumar Misra, Jila Panchayat Raipur President Sharda Verma, Jila Panchayat Gariaband President Dr Shweta Sharma, Raipur Division Commissioner Ashok Agrawal, Raipur District Collector Thakur Ram Singh, Gariaband Collector Niranjan Das, Dhamtari Collector Bheem Singh, Gobra-Nayapara Municipal Council Chairman Vijay Goyal, Rajim Nagar Panchayat President Pawan Sonkar and other officials concerned were also present.