Patna district administration makes preparations for Kartik Purnima

Patna: Patna district administration is making elaborate arrangements on the banks of the Ganga, where devotees will perform rituals, offer prayers and ‘araghya' on Friday on the occasion of Kartik Purnima. Around 64 ghats are being prepared for the festivity by putting up barricades to ensure the safety of devotees and proper crowd management.
Patna DM Chandrashekhar Singh said people will start arriving at the ghats of the Ganga and other rivers a day or two in advance, leading to significant crowding. "To prevent any untoward incidents during Kartik Purnima, all sub-divisional officers, sub-divisional police officers, circle officers, and others have been instructed to remain alert," he said.
The COs have been directed to deploy boats, boatmen, and divers, besides the deputy controller of Civil Defence, Patna, has been asked to deploy volunteers at the ghats from November 14 until the end of the festivities. The operation of private boats on the Ganga and other rivers will be prohibited from Thursday.
"All SDOs, SDPOs, COs, and the station in-charge have been directed to take necessary action to effectively enforce the ban on the operation of local boats in the rivers," Singh said. He requested the Disaster Management Department to deploy three NDRF teams with motorboats, deep divers, and other necessary equipment from Digha Ghat to Gaighat from Friday until the end of the festivities.
The DM said the additional DM (law and order), Patna, has been instructed to take necessary actions to deploy magistrates and police officers to maintain special vigilance on the banks of the river and other locations.
Besides, arrangements for drinking water, toilets, changing rooms, watch towers, control rooms and help desks are being made. The district fire officer has been instructed to deploy one fire vehicle team each at Digha Patipul Ghat, Kali Ghat, Gandhi Ghat, Gaighat and Bhadra Ghat.
Director of IGIMS, superintendent of PMCH, NMCH and Guru Gobind Singh Hospital, Patna City, have been asked to ensure the deployment of additional doctors, adequate paramedical staff and ambulances, and to keep hospitals on alert round-the-clock from Thursday.