Mega coordination meeting of administration with puja committees in Hirapur regarding Durga Puja, emphasis on security and traffic control
Asansol: Administrative preparations are now in full swing centering around Sharodutsav, the greatest festival of Bengalis. A very important administrative coordination meeting was held with the objective of maintaining law and order, ensuring the safety of lakhs of visitors, and keeping traffic normal in the Asansol industrial area during the festival days. This high-level meeting was organized on Friday by the Hirapur police station of the Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate at the heritage Bharati Bhavan auditorium in Burnpur. Representatives and organizers of all small and large Durga Puja committees in the Hirapur police station area spontaneously attended the meeting.
Present at the said review meeting were Asansol South Legislative Assembly Constituency MLA Agnimitra Paul, eminent political personality Krishnendu Mukherjee, senior police officials of the Asansol-Durgapur Police Commissionerate, prominent representatives of the Asansol Municipal Corporation, high-ranking officials of the Fire Department and the State Electricity Board. This meeting was primarily organized to create a close bridge of bonding between the administration and the puja committees.
Detailed discussions were held in the meeting regarding the general rules and guidelines of Durga Puja directed by the state government. Special emphasis was given on following strong and safety rules in pandal construction, keeping adequate emergency exits to prevent fire, ensuring the presence of adequate fire extinguishers, and installing CCTV cameras in and around the pandal. In addition, very clear messages were given by the police administration regarding handling extra crowds during the puja days from Maha Saptami to Dashami, arranging specific car parking, strict prohibition on the use of high-decibel banned firecrackers and excessive DJ sound, and a specific schedule for idol immersion at designated times.
On the other hand, the organizers of the puja committees also raised various local problems and demands before the administration, such as speedy repair of broken roads adjacent to the pandal areas, arrangements for adequate street lights or lighting around the pandal, uninterrupted power supply during the festival days, and drinking water facilities for visitors. The present representatives of the municipal corporation and electricity board listened carefully to the puja organizers and assured them of a speedy resolution to all these problems. At the same time, a promise was also made to quickly provide the necessary government permissions to the puja committees by overcoming all kinds of legal complexities through a 'single window' system.
In today's meeting, public representatives and administrative officials jointly called upon the puja committees to abide by the law as well as fulfill social responsibilities, and advised deploying a sufficient number of trained volunteers in every pandal for crowd control. The administration also informed that a special control room of the police and administration will remain active 24 hours a day to provide immediate assistance in any unwanted or emergency situation during the festival days. Overall, to present a comprehensive, beautiful, safe, joyous, and peaceful festival in the Hirapur industrial area, the administration and the puja committees have expressed a firm commitment to work together hand in hand.
