SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Oct 17: For the safety of devotees during the Durga Puja festival, the Dhanbad district administration has made a fire extinguisher machine mandatory for all the registered Puja Pandals in the district.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Barun Ranjan, while issuing the notice, also directed the officials of the district fire fighting department to make on-the-spot inspections of all Puja Pandals in blocks and circles of the district and ensure the availability of equipment. The Deputy Commissioner instructed them to ensure that any committee not in compliance with the guidelines must be obligated to procure the requisite apparatus.
DC Barun Ranjan, who himself inspected and assessed the arrangement of all Puja committees in Dhanbad Sadar, Jharia Circle, Baliapur, Baghmarao, Nirsa, Gyarahkund, Tundi, Topchachi, and other areas directed the members to follow safety guidelines in Pandals.
While reviewing the arrangement, the DC also directed the concerned officials to ensure whether Puja committees have made entry and exit gates of a Puja Pandal as per the standard set up by the district administration or not.
He also directed officials to give written notice to Puja Committees that they would be held responsible if any untoward incident happens due to lack of proper arrangement, as the administration has asked to prepare per guidelines.
At the meeting besides the DC, Additional Collector (law and order) Kamal Kant Gupta, Additional Collector Binod Kumar, SDM Uday Rajak, and District Fire Officer Laxaman Prasad were also present.
