District administration Jammu is all set to make elaborate arrangements for festival of lights Diwali and Jhiri Mela organised every year to commemorate sacrifice of farmer saint Baba Jitoo.In this regard, Deputy Commissioner Ramesh Kumar chaired a meeting and reviewed the arrangements being made by the government departments for the convenience of people and the devotees.The DC listed the provisions made for the twin festivals and directed the concerned departments to put in all possible efforts for smooth celebration of Diwali festival by ensuring availability of essential commodities, power and drinking water supply, medicare, security, sanitation and other basic needs.The DC constituted a committee under the chairmanship of ADC to identify the sites for sale of fire crackers in Jammu and to ensure strict enforcement of rules and to constitute special flying squads of civil and police administration to check violations.He directed the JMC and SDMs concerned to keep a strict vigil on sale and storage of fire crackers, ensure that the sales , whole or retail are carried by permitted vendors, shopkeepers and at the selected venues as also ensure strict adherence to the guidelines and Supreme Court directions laid down in this regard. He also directed the concerned departments to ensure proper open space, safety measures and crowd management at the selected venues.
The DDC directed the concerned officers of Fire and Emergency Department to ensure availability of fire tenders at the venue of sale of fire crackers. He also passed directions that a duty roaster of 24 hrs be maintained by the Fire and Emergency Department with contact Nos. of drivers to be shared with the Tehsildars and S.H.Os concerned. He also directed the concerned departments to allow whole sale of fire crackers only on such locations which are easily accessible by the fire tenders.Traffic authorities were asked to prepare a comprehensive traffic plans with sufficient parking space and safety measures for smooth flow of traffic and launch special drives near crackers sale stalls.The DC also directed Health Department to keep ambulances ready besides sufficient stock of life saving drugs and proper arrangements for fire cracker injuries at all the different health institutions including round the clock availability of health services. He also directed the CMO to constitute teams at the Block levels including volunteers from the civil defence to provide adequate health services.The PDD department was asked to maintain adequate supply of electricity during festival season especially during evening time and to make a contingency plan for managing the overloading problem.Municipal authorities were directed to ensure cleanliness in and around the city during the festive season including sufficient installations of dustbins.
Similarly, officers of FCS&CA were directed to keep sufficient supply of Ration and to check on quality and rates of eatables besides conducting regular market inspections to avoid overcharging and profiteering.Later, reviewing the Jhiri Mela arrangements, the DDC asked the administration to ensure adequate facilities for devotees visiting from different parts of the country for the annual Mela here.The DDC discussed department-wise facilities to be provided to the devotees and particularly reviewed the position with regard to power, water supply, sanitation, traffic management, security arrangements, availability of essentials and medical facilities.He directed the PWD to complete the tender process of all the roads leading to the holy shrine on war footings.The DDC directed the traffic authorities for identifying alternate roads for entry of heavy vehicles and to ensure proper traffic management during the Mela period.He directed the JMC, SDM and BDOs to work in close coordination to maintain proper sanitation in and around the shrine with additional manpower and dustbins. He also directed ACD to carry out roadside bush cutting along public roads.Directions were passed to PDD to ensure uninterrupted power supply during festival and installation of sufficient number of high mast lights and flood lights for proper illumination at the Mela venue.The PHE department was directed to ensure adequate water supply with sufficient number of water tankers to meet any contingency.The DDC directed the Irrigation and flood control department to carry proper desilting of the holy pond and to maintain sufficient supply of water to cater to the demand of lakhs of devotees that thronged the holy shrine.
Necessary directions were also passed to Transport department to issue temporary permit for additional vehicles to be deployed and to notify fare charges to check overcharging from the passengers.The DDC laid thrust on ensuring sufficient supply of ration at FCS&CAD fair price shops, availability of firewood stocks through forest department, round the clock availability of medical services and regular fogging of the areas. He further directed that Sports activities like ‘Dangal’ and Vollyball etc to be organised by Youth Service and Sports department.He also directed the Food Safety department and Department of Legal Metrology to deploy special teams to check quality of food, mal practices and overcharging at the mela venue.Necessary directions were also passed by DDC to Fire and Emergency Department to ensure availability of fire tenders.DDC directed all the concerned departments to set up stalls at the Mela for the display of general public regarding their schemes and innovative items.The DDC asked the officers to maintain close coordination between the Management Committee and different agencies associated with the Mela to ensure successful conduct of this annual event.Among others, the meeting was also attended by ADC Jammu Rishpal Singh, SP Rural Jammu Dushyant Sharma, CMO Jammu Sanjay Turki, SDMs, BDOs and other senior officers.