GUWAHATI, June 27 - Buoyed by the success of the Ambubachi Mela this year, the Kamrup Metro district administration has now decided to prepare a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for next year�s event.
�The district administration intends to prepare a comprehensive SOP for next year�s programme with the participation of various stakeholders,� Dr M Angamuthu, Deputy Commissioner of Kamrup Metro, said.
The SOP is intended to ensure that a well-placed machinery is in place for handling all the requirements for the annual event, which witnesses participation of lakhs of devotees from both within and outside the country.
The district administration also expressed its satisfaction with the success of this year�s Mela and thanked the citizens of Guwahati as well as the government departments and agencies for their cooperation in the event.
Over 25 lakh people took part in this year�s Ambubachi Mela, including many high profile VIPs, as per estimates of the administration.
�Five well-equipped camps were set up to accommodate the visitors. Special care was taken to ensure hygienic and clean washrooms and toilets. Food was provided at the camps and 19 bhandaras served food under strict supervision of food safety offices,� said Dr Angamuthu.
He added that to ensure congestion-free roads and locales, vehicular traffic was restricted, but ample numbers of shuttles and pool cars were provided from the foothills of Nilachal to the Kamakhya Temple to ensure that visitors did not face any inconvenience.
�Power supply at the Mela venues was uninterrupted and adequate supply of drinking water was maintained. Several health camps and dispensaries were in service. Several control rooms manned by magistrates on duty and police and other officials, were in place at all crucial areas for coordination,� he added.
The district administration and the Department of Tourism acted as the nodal agencies to oversee and coordinate the entire proceedings, in cooperation with other departments.
Meanwhile, with the Mela now over, attention has shifted to cleaning up all the venues. The district administration, in association with the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) and the Kamakhya Temple Management Committee, has decided to organise a cleanliness programme tomorrow under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan.
