GUWAHATI, Sept 28 - With a view to ensuring that no untoward situation emerges during immersion of the Durga Puja idols, the Kamrup (Metro) district administration has directed all the Puja committees to follow strict guidelines with regard to the route of the procession and adherence to timings as well as to keep control on their respective flocks of devotees who would take part in the procession.
Officials said that all the Puja committees have been told to follow the routes and directions given by the district administration for immersion of the idols on September 30.
�All the Puja committees will have to take out their respective processions by 11 am without fail on the day of immersion. Members of the Puja committees should control revellers and devotees from doing any improper activity during the immersion procession,� said Dr M Angamuthu, Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup (Metro) on Tuesday.
Senior officials told this newspaper that no major untoward incidents, including accidents at immersion ghats or any disruption activities during the processions, have been reported during the past couple of years in the city and the administration is keen to keep it like that this time also.
Around 600 committees are organising Durga Puja this year across the city.
Dr Angamuthu said that all the Puja committees have been directed to cooperate with the administration in implementation of all guidelines regarding safety and security during Durga Puja.
�They have been told to ensure complete safety of all temporary structures and electrical fittings and to keep a designated area for emergency evacuation, besides having a medical team ready to handle any emergency,� he said.
Use of loudspeakers after 10 pm will not be allowed and Puja committees have been told to refrain from that.
In addition, Puja committees have been directed to appoint sufficient numbers of male and female volunteers who are to be provided easily distinguishable identity cards.
�The committees have been told to make provision for firefighting in the pandals and to keep firefighting equipment like buckets with sand and fire extinguishers available. They have been directed to make provision for crowd management, including having barricades and entry and exit points for male and female visitors, besides having functional public address systems,� he said.
Organisers were also issued guidelines to make provisions for drinking water, provide proper lighting and illumination in the pandals, arrange generators for power back-up, maintain hygiene and cleanliness in the pandals and nearby areas, open help desks, and to clean up the areas after the Puja is over.
Puja committees have been instructed not to allow parking within 100 metres from the pandals and avoid use of plastic bags and other plastic items.
