Work on at Sikandarpur Ghat for Chhath. Picture by Lokesh Bihari

District magistrate Anupam Kumar has directed the civic body and police to lodge FIRs against persons who encroach upon the ghats along the Budhi Gandak and charge devotees to perform Chhath rituals.

Anupam said: “I have asked the police and officials of Muzaffarpur Municipal Corporation to lodge complaints against people who occupy the ghats illegally and then charge money from the devotees to perform rituals there.”

Sources said brokers and influential people often illegally occupy the ghats, such as Sikandarpur, Amgola, Mali, Tinpokhariya and University, along the river just before Chhath. Then, they charge a levy from devotees who come to perform the rituals there.

This year, the biggest festival of Bihar is from November 6 to 9. The municipal corporation has already started work to clean up the ghats before the festival, when thousands of devotees throng the riverside to pay obeisance to the Sun God.

The district magistrate (DM) said: “After reviewing the preparation for the festival, along with senior superintendent of police Saurav Kumar, we have decided to set up a watch tower by the river at Sikandarpur. The tower will be manned round-the-clock from November 6 to keep an eye on troublemakers.”

Sikandarpur is the largest and busiest ghat in the town.

Officers of the state intelligence department and the police are searching the ghats with metal detectors and patrolling along the river has also started. During the four-day festival, policemen would patrol the river in boats. All traffic on the Budhi Gandak would be stopped on the days of the festival to prevent any accident.

SSP Saurav said: “Divers from Muzaffarpur and Bihar Military Police would also be on stand-by to deal with any case of drowning.”