SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Oct 28: The Deoghar district administration has decided to deploy National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams at Babadham based Chhath ponds for the safety of devotees.
Deoghar Deputy Commissioner (DC) Manjunath Bhajantri, after inspecting around half a dozen Chhath ponds in the city, directed the officials to deploy NDRF teams at Shivganga and Nandan Pahar with boats and other safety equipment so that any untoward incident could be avoided during the festival.
For assessing the preparation of Chhath festival in Babadham, the DC inspected city-based different ponds including Shivganga Sarover, Dadhwa River, Chhattisi Talab, Rohini Talab, Jalsar Talab and Matha Bandh where devotees assemble in large numbers on the occasion.
The DC, while taking stock of available facilities, ordered the concerned officials of district administration for cleaning of Ghats, maintaining roads and restoring power connection and other basic facilities so that devotees do not face any difficulties.
A senior official of the district administration said that since gathering of devotees at Shivganga and Nandan Pahar goes beyond control, the DC has focused on these two ponds and ordered NDRF teams to deploy there. Teams of security forces under a Magistrate would also be deployed at each pond in the city to maintain the law and order.
Besides safety of devotees, the DC has also directed the Town Commissioner of Deoghar Municipal Corporation to select temporary spots in the city so that local artisans could sell Diwali and festival related material like clay utensils, bamboo ‘soop’, baskets and other at a place.
The district administration has declared all Chhath Ghats as no smoking zones and has banned the use of thermocol and plastic at the ponds. Concerned officials have been ordered to coordinate with Chhath committees about the ban of tobacco products.
DC Manjunath Bhajantri has also ordered them to inform the devotees about the new variant of Covid virus and ensure proper implementation of Covid-19 protocol at the ghats during the festival to avoid a surge in cases.
