The district administration held a review meeting with the representatives of the Ganesh Utsav Committees from different places to make all arrangements for the smooth conduct of the forthcoming Ganesh celebrations including procession and immersion in the first week of September.
Revenue Divisional Officer S. Venkata Rao, Deputy Commissioner of Police M. Ravindranath Babu, Kanaka Durga Temple Executive Officer M. Raghunath, Utsava Committee secretary T. Hanumantha Rao and other officials were present in the meeting held at the Sub Collector's Office here on Monday. As the immersion of the idols would take place mostly in the River Krishna, the officials resolved to take all safety measures to prevent any untoward incidents during the celebrations.
Addressing the meeting, Mr. Venkata Rao said the Utsav Committee was appointed last year for ensuring smooth conduct of the celebrations and that all possible measures would be taken such as establishment of a control room for the sake coordination among different departments. He said various officials were given the responsibility of ensuring safe conduct of the immersion of idols and the Utsav Committee had come forward to provide cranes and also drinking water to the devotees.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Ravindranath Babu said the police bandobast would be provided at all the big Ganesh pandals and idols in city and also during the procession and immersion time.
He said it came to their notice that as many as 1,000 Ganesh idols were being worshipped at different places in the city and a meeting would be held with the devotees and organisers to create awareness among about the safety guidelines.
The officials decided that the idols below 3 ft would be allowed to be immersed at the Durga ghat and those above this height would have to be immersed at the Punnami ghat.
Permission would be given for immersion of the idols only on September 5, 7 and 9 for the sake of safety and security, as per the resolution taken at the meeting.
