Garbage strewn at the Law College Ghat on Wednesday. Picture by Jai Prakash

Patna district administration has begun preparing for Chhath even though the state’s biggest festival is two months away.

The administration has constituted a 20-member committee to inspect the ghats and suggest ways to make them safe for devotees. A special meeting has been convened on September 6 to discuss the same.

A source in the Patna collectorate told The Telegraph: “District magistrate Manish Kumar Verma has constituted a 20-member committee, consisting the magistrate and engineers, to prepare a detailed report of all ghats and submit it urgently. The committee would make a list of dangerous ghats and the kind of arrangement it requires.”

In the past, devotees have risked lives to offer arghya (obeisance) at ghats, unaware that the district administration had listed some as dangerous. This happened because the administration would begin preparations just 15-20 days before the festival. As a result, a large number of people would miss important announcements. “This year, the district administration does not want to take any chances. So, it has decided to chalk out plans two months in advance,” the official said.

To provide a better Chhath festival to the people of Patna, the district administration has already urged the urban development department to hand over ghat-preparation work during Chhath from Patna Municipal Corporation to BUIDCo.

Asked about points the committee should look into before submitting the report, the official said: “It should make pilgrim safety its goal and spell out how to avoid untoward situation at the ghats. It should build a comfortable approach road to the ghats and concentrate on ghats that have too much slush, which can act like quick sand.”

The committee consists of engineers from urban development, road construction, building construction, tourism, energy and public health and engineering departments. Patna district magistrate Manish Kumar Verma said: “I have called a meeting on September 6 in which officials concerned would discuss preparations. Apart from Chhath, there would also be discussion on Durga Puja preparations.”

The district administration is also planning to deploy trained divers and boats with safety equipment at the ghats. The Patna Collectorate official said: “Regarding Durga Puja, the district magistrate has asked to follow last year’s guidelines in which license is a must for all puja samitis.”