No Compromise on Devotees’ Safety: CM Yogi Directs Officials to Ensure Elaborate Chhath Arrangements

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday directed officials to ensure comprehensive arrangements for the safety, convenience and cleanliness of devotees during Chhath Mahaparva, stressing that there would be no compromise on public safety and essential facilities at ghats across the state.

Chairing a high-level review meeting through video conferencing, the Chief Minister instructed district administrations to complete all preparations well in advance, particularly in districts expected to witness large gatherings, including Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Ballia, Azamgarh, Ghazipur, Lucknow, Ghaziabad, Basti and Kanpur Nagar.

Describing Chhath as a festival rooted in faith, discipline, purity and gratitude towards nature, Adityanath said lakhs of devotees would participate in the celebrations across the state.

He noted that devotees would offer arghya to the setting Sun on the evening of November 15, while the four-day festival would conclude on November 16 with prayers and offerings to the rising Sun.

The Chief Minister directed officials to inspect all major ghats, rivers, ponds and other water bodies and ensure proper cleaning, adequate lighting, accessible approach roads, drinking water facilities, toilets and changing rooms for women.

Emphasising devotees’ safety, he ordered the installation of strong barricades and warning signboards at vulnerable locations after assessing water levels and depths.

Adequate numbers of trained divers, boats and water police personnel must be deployed to prevent accidents, while CCTV cameras and public address systems should be installed for surveillance and crowd management, he said.

Adityanath also called for special arrangements for women, children and senior citizens, directing authorities to deploy sufficient police personnel, including women officers, at major ghats.

He asked police personnel to discharge their duties with restraint, sensitivity and a cooperative approach. District-level control rooms and effective coordination between police and administrative officials should also be ensured, he added.

The Chief Minister directed officials to prepare traffic management plans, identify necessary diversions and designate parking areas in advance to prevent congestion around puja sites.

In view of the festival-related travel rush, Adityanath instructed the Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation to operate additional buses from Delhi to various districts of eastern Uttar Pradesh. He also directed officials to ensure that passengers were not charged fares above the prescribed rates.

The Urban Development and Panchayati Raj departments were asked to organise special cleanliness drives around ghats and ensure uninterrupted power supply, with alternative lighting arrangements wherever necessary.

The Chief Minister further directed authorities to ensure the availability of first-aid camps, ambulances and emergency services at major puja sites.

Warning against negligence, Adityanath reiterated that cleanliness, safety and public convenience must remain the top priorities during the festival.

Senior officials were also instructed to personally inspect the arrangements and seek the assistance of Civil Defence, NCC and NSS volunteers to ensure the smooth and safe conduct of Chhath Mahaparva.

(IANS Inputs)

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