Residents of Bagbera picked up brooms and shovels and got to work on Thursday to clean up Baroda Ghat, one of the biggest draws of Chhath Puja, to ensure it was ready for use by devotees by Sunday, November 6.

"This is one of the biggest chhath ghats drawing devotees from Parsudih, Karandih, Bagbera and even from areas near Tatanagar station. All this while, it has been littered with garbage and despite appeals at various quarters, the administration has failed to act," said Subodh Jha, president of Bagbera Mahanagar Vikash Samity that is spearheading the clean-up.

As many as residents of Bagbera started cleaning the Baroda ghat from 7am on Thursday aided by around 15 contract labourers engaged by Bagbera West panchayat mukhiya Jamuna Hansda. By 6pm, 50 per cent of the muck was cleared.

"The operation will continue on Friday, till the ghat is cleaned. We are also in talks with Tata Steel for dumping slag to fill up potholes on the approach road," said Jamshedpur BDO Parul Singh.

In desperation, the samity had sounded an SOS with East Singhbhum deputy commissioner Amit Kumar on Wednesday, requesting his immediate intervention to organise a thorough clean-up of the ghat. Kumar then asked the Jamshedpur BDO and deputy superintendent of police (law and order) Bimal Kumar to visit the place and schedule a clean-up operation.

"The BDO and DSP inspected the ghat on Wednesday morning and assured samity members that approach roads would be repaired and danger spots barricaded with the help of panchayat representatives. The mukhiya of Bagbera West panchayat also promised to chip in with manpower," Jha said.

Later, DSP Bimal Kumar also promised to deploy adequate number of policemen on November 6 and 7 for the safety of devotees.