Trouble-mongers and mischief-makers, be warned. You will be under watch this Durga Puja.
In a landmark decision, the East Singhbhum district administration has decided to beef up surveillance at all pujas in the city and its outskirts, asking organisers to install CCTV cameras not only outside pandals, but also inside them. The directive was issued on Monday evening at a meeting on ensuring law and order during the upcoming festivities, especially Durga Puja and Diwali.
"The 306 licensed puja committees should put up CCTV cameras both inside and outside the pandals. This is meant to keep a tab on trouble-mongers and provide concrete evidence against those who try to disrupt the festive ambience," said ADM (law and order) Subodh Kumar.
In the previous years, electronic surveillance was never mandatory for Puja pandals although the administration had suggested it. Puja committees put up CCTV cameras, mostly outside pandals, depending on their convenience.
"Officers-in-charge of respective local police stations and executive magistrates will have to meet members of all Durga Puja committees and inform about this directive. They have to also ensure compliance of the order and submit a report to Dhalbhum SDM Suraj Kumar by September 23," said Subodh Kumar.
Suraj Kumar and Subodh Kumar will conduct inspections between September 28 and October 1 to verify if the directives had been implemented. Police and traffic personnel have been asked to jointly intensify raids against rogue drivers to check triple-riding, rash driving and assembly of people without any purpose.
Traffic DSP Vivekananda Thakur has been asked to submit a report after getting in touch with respective traffic police stations about parking sites near crowd-puller pandals by September 30. There are five traffic thanas in the city - Bistupur, Sakchi, Jugsalai, Mango and Golmuri.
The puja committees will be also told to complete immersion before 9pm on Dashami. Local police stations and executive magistrate will have to submit lists of habitual offenders and history-sheeters by September 23.
