All water bodies in Jharkhand where Chhath puja devotees will offer prayers have been cleaned, decorated with lights and barricaded for the first day ‘Argha’ to Sun God on Sunday evening, an official said.
To ensure safety and peaceful Chhath puja celebration, administration in different districts have deputed additional security forces and NDRF teams in vulnerable water bodies.
Drones and CCTV cameras are also being used in major cities including Ranchi, Dhanbad and Jamshedpur to keep an eye on the festive activity, a senior police officer said. In Ranchi, all 67 water bodies within the limit of Ranchi Municipal Corporation (RMC) have been cleaned up. Ranchi Mayor Asha Lakra said. ”Barricading and danger zone marking at water bodies where water level is high this year have been completed. NDRF teams will be deployed at major water bodies of the city,” she said. NDRF teams have been deputed at Kanke dam, Bada Talab, Button Talab and Dhuwa dam to deal with any crisis situation, an official said. Water bodies of the city have been divided into six zones and zonal magistrates have been deputed for each zone. Some 1,600 policemen are being deputed for security management during the festival in the city, a police officer said. Motorcycle squad would also be deputed for patrolling, while responsibility has also been fixed for volunteers of different puja committees.
The four-day Chhath festival—worship of Sun God— began with Nahai Khai ritual on Friday, which will conclude on Monday morning with offering ‘Argha’ to Sun God. Meanwhile, entry of heavy vehicles to the city has been prohibited from 8 am to 11 pm on Sunday and 2 am to 10 pm on Monday, an official statement said. Every year, a large number of devotees gather at water bodies across the state such as ponds, rivers, reservoirs and lakes across Jharkhand to worship the rising and setting sun.
In Hazaribag, the district administration has claimed that a full-proof arrangement has been ensured for the smooth passage to respective Chhath ghats for the devotees. Hazaribag Superintendent of Police Manoj Ratan Chothe said police have inspected all 24 water bodies in the city. ”Special arrangements have been made for the Hazaribag Lake and the Chhath Talab as maximum crowds are expected to assemble in these two ghats,” the SP said. Entry of vehicles including two-wheelers has been prohibited in these two water bodies. For parking of vehicles, 12 parking points have been marked for two and four wheelers near the water bodies, Chothe said.
Hazaribag municipal commissioner Prerana Dikshit, said, ”We have made special arrangements for the safety of the devotees by putting barriers inside the reservoirs and made arrangements by keeping divers at all the ghats.”
