Chief secretary reviews Shravani Mela preparations
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Chief Secretary Alka Tiwari reviewed the ongoing preparations for the Shravani Mela with the heads of all relevant departments and the deputy commissioners, SPs, and other officials of Deoghar and Dumka districts here on Wednesday.
The fair will begin on July 11 and continue until August 9. During this period, it is expected that more than 50 lakh devotees will visit Baidyanath Dham temple in Deoghar and Basukinath Dham in Dumka.
During the review, Tiwari mainly focused on the facilities for the lakhs of devotees expected to participate in the fair. She gave clear instructions to the officials to ensure robust crowd control measures. "The officials stationed to handle emergencies should be trained, accountable, and sensitive," she said.
Tiwari also asked the officials to ensure compliance with established standards to prevent a stampede like situation. "Arrangements should be made so that devotees do not gather in large numbers at one place but stay in small groups. Security personnel should only leave their post when their replacement arrives. AI-based CCTV cameras and drones should be continuously monitored to control crowds, and if any area becomes overcrowded, it should be managed immediately without delay," she said.
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She further asked the officials to ensure that the path to be used by the devotees must be smooth to eliminate the risk of tripping and falling. "There should be no slippery areas where there are stairs or similar places. Separate arrangements should be made for the entry and exit of devotees. There should be no sudden power outages, and alternative arrangements should be ready to restore power immediately. There should be no exposed electrical wires hanging down," Alka told the officers.
Tiwari asked SP and DC to be present when the temple's doors are opened for devotees, to manage the crowd pressure and avert stampede like situation.
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