Ranchi, Aug. 18: Shravani Mela in Deoghar ended on a good note today, with over 40,000 devotees offering Gangajal at Baidyanath Dham on the last day and nearly 40 lakh the entire month, this year's smooth arrangements helping the police and administration prove themselves after last year's horrific stampede that killed 10 pilgrims.
Of the nearly 40 lakh devotees who came to Deoghar since July 19, a bulk came on Mondays, associated with lord Shiv. Pilgrim count exceeded two lakh on each Somvari.
"Till August 15, we issued 34,36,776 entry passes. The total number of passes issued thereafter is being calculated. We also had several thousand visitors who did not avail entry passes," Deoghar deputy commissioner (DC) Arava Rajkamal said, adding handling crowd management was a great learning experience.
He admitted that heading a team of over 10,000 personnel in itself was a rare opportunity that a bureaucrat of his rank seldom gets.
"I got the opportunity to execute policy decisions being taken by the state government and convince policy makers what really was needed at the ground level. So I learnt a lot of new things," a relieved Rajkamal told The Telegraph today.
Dumka range DIG Deo Bihari Sharma also admitted the whole administrative machinery - especially the police - was on tenterhooks this year after last year's stampede.
Asked about the difference between this year and last, Sharma had one word to say. "Coordination."
He said this year the Shrine Board, formed by chief minister Raghubar Das last year after the August 10, 2015 stampede, as well as temple and mela management committees worked together to ensure clarity in proceedings.
The Shrine Board, a permanent body to be chaired by the chief minister, comprises notables such as the Godda MP, Deoghar MLA, the chief secretary, the home secretary, the DGP, senior temple priests, representatives of NGOs and social organisations, among others. Temple and mela committees, likewise, are also multi-stakeholder teams of bureaucrats, priests and social organisation.
DIG Sharma added that for him, the personal game-changer this time was getting approval from the chief minister in his capacity of the Shrine Board head, to agree to 20 temporary police outposts to function just like regular thanas at strategic places in Deoghar for smarter crowd management.
Citing examples on how the thana experiment was successful, Sharma said on the first Monday of Shravan, there was chaos at several places but swift alerts sounded by the thanas concerned facilitated lighting arrangements, ambulances and magistrates and additional police force, or communication systems wherever needed.
"Despite being a DIG I often had to run all through the night like a daroga. My DC (Rajkamal) and SP (A. Vijaylaxmi) spent nights on the road, monitoring and coordinating with their teams. Had any untoward incident taken police, the entire Jharkhand police would have been defamed. But, Baba Baidyanath has given us an opportunity to all of us to feel happy this time. I am sure our DGP D.K. Pandey must be feeling proud now," he said.
Deoghar DC Rajkamal, on his part, also said he was indebted to his team members.
"My SDO Sudhir Gupta broke both his legs in an accident while handling the crowd. His sudden exit made me realize how difficult the job becomes when even one member of the team is unable to play his role," the DC said.
