On 13/10/2015 a meeting with the Durga Puja Committees of South Andaman District was organised by A&N Police in the conference hall of SP(D)SA. The meeting was attended by President/ Secretary/ representative of various Durga Puja Committees.
SDPOs and SHOs were also present in the meeting. During the meet Shri Atul Kumar Thakur, IPS, Superintendent of Police (D) South Andaman who presided the meeting briefed the committees to take precautions and safety measures during the puja ie. to ensure installation of sufficient fire-fighting arrangements in & around the pooja pandals to prevent any mishap; deployment of volunteers to prevent any public nuisance and distribute identity cards/badges to identify the volunteers which would help the police to take action against mischievous elements; list of volunteers selected by the respective pooja committees to be furnished to respective SHOs well before the date of commencement of pooja so that SHOs may brief them properly; standby arrangement of generator near each pooja pandal besides emergency light to provide backup in case of power failure; timing for use of loud speakers to be adhered to in view of the instructions of Hon’ble Apex Court; check on any inebriated persons who may take part on the day of immersion of idols of Goddess Durga to avoid any untoward incident; maintaining of admissible height of temporary structures on the trucks on the day of immersion which carry idols to avoid any mishap/electrocution; non-stop and peaceful movement of procession on the day of immersion, especially when processions cross each other; persons sitting on the trucks carrying the idols of the Goddess to take proper care to avoid any mishap; all pooja pandals to have proper electric wiring to avoid any incident of short circuit; sensitizing volunteers to keep a sharp vigil over anti-social elements to avoid any complaint of eve teasing and ensure safety of women, children and elderly persons; provide sufficient parking place for the vehicles coming for pooja in their respective pooja pandals; deploy volunteers to ensure proper entry and exit for devotees in pooja pandals to avoid any incident of stampede; carry ropes while taking the idols for immersion to manage traffic related issues and to avoid traffic congestions; vehicles used for immersion should be road worthy; during the immersion of Idol and while passing in front of religious places such as Church, Mosque, Gurudwara and other worship places they should show adequate sensitivity towards others to avoid any untoward incidents.
The representatives also suggested some issues and SP(SA) assured to look into it. At last all were requested to ensure peaceful conduct of the pooja.
