GUWAHATI, Sept 20 - This time the people of Guwahati may witness more than 500 Durga Pujas to be held within the territory of Kamrup (Metro) district.
The district administration has issued guidelines to every puja committee and urged all to co-operate with the administrative machinery for the implementation of all guidelines regarding safety and security.
The administration has imposed restrictions on construction of puja pandals on any public thoroughfare, defacement of any public wall, property and natural objects with posters and banners, establishment of any office or kiosk on public property, parking of vehicles within a 100-metre radius of a puja pandal, use of plastic bags and banners, use of loudspeaker after 10 pm and use of highly inflammable items for decoration purpose. It asked every puja committee to ensure complete safety of all temporary structures, electric fittings, etc., and to keep a designated area for emergency evacuation.
Every puja committee should keep a medical team, including doctors along with a sufficient number of volunteers, both male and female, to tackle any kind of emergency.
Every puja committee should inform in advance the nearby police station about any kind of programme and VIP or celebrity visit during the puja days. Again, in every puja pandal, there should be adequate provisions for fire fighting and every committee should keep fire fighting arrangements.
To manage crowds, every committee must keep proper provision along with separate barricading for men and women. Every puja pandal should have proper space for public address system, provision for adequate drinking water, etc.
The administration asked every puja committee to install CCTV cameras and lights in and around the pandal along with a 24X7 help desk. A committee has to ensure proper security arrangement during the puja days and for this purpose, they have to provide adequate accommodation to police personnel too.
The administration has asked puja committees not to carry out forceful collection of donations. A ban has been imposed on use of alcohol or psychotropic substances. On the day of immersion, puja committees should start the procession by 11 am and avoid crackers.
