Reasi, Feb 9: Deputy Commissioner Reasi Charandeep Singh, who is also Vice Chairperson Shri Shiv Khori Shrine Board (SSKSB), chaired a meeting of officers to review the arrangements for the three day Maha Shivratri Mela, commencing from February 28 at Ransoo, base camp of Shiv Khori Shrine.
During the meeting threadbare discussions were held pertaining to adequate drinking water, power supply, Medicare facility, sanitation, security, law and order, traffic control, barricading, transport, accommodation, cultural programmes, PAS system, special checking drive for ensuring quality and rates of eatables during mela, parking of vehicle, installation of hoarding and sign boards, exhibition of stalls by different departments.
The DC issued necessary instructions to concerned departments to give a festive look to the Mela by ensuring adequate facilities for the visiting pilgrims for their comfortable pilgrimage. He directed the concerned officers for better coordination to make the mela a success.
The Market Associations were asked to deck up their shops to add to the festive look.
The Chief Medical Officer was directed to deploy a sufficient number of medical staff and make available oxygen cylinders, stretchers etc, to meet any medical emergency.
The meeting was also apprised by the concerned officials from PDD, PHE and PWD about sufficient deployment of men and material for the Mela days.
The DC also stressed on the role of line departments & other agencies in crowd management.
It was decided that a specific protocol would be followed from Base Camp Ransoo, Darshani Deodi en-route shrine and at Shiv Khori cave.
The vehicles coming from Taryath and Kanda Morh shall be halted at a distance from the main entrance to Ransoo to avoid crowds beyond the given daily number.
Moreover, proper barricading would be erected en-route the cave and queue managers will be deployed inside the shrine as well to avoid chaos. Local volunteers and members of the youth club shall be involved in this exercise.
The DC also inspected the sites identified for parking, exhibition of departmental stalls, main stage for cultural programmes, COVID testing etc. It was decided that Langar walas shall be given permission to establish the langars at designated places. The DC also stressed upon ensuring adherence to Covid Appropriate Behavior during Mela. He further directed for giving wide publicity regarding number of pilgrims, activities in mela etc to avoid any inconvenience to the pilgrims.
Earlier, Executive Officer, SSKSB, Sanjay Kumar Badyal gave a detailed resume of various activities and assignments to be performed by officers during the mela days.
District Development Council Member Pouni, Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Chief medical Officer, Executive Engineer PMGSY, Reasi, Executive Engineer PWD Reasi, Executive Engineer JPDCL Reasi, District Information Officer, besides various other District Officers and members of Panchayati Raj Institutions participated in the meeting.
