PATNA: The Patna district administration has taken several steps to prevent the spread of coronavirus during the four-day Chhath festival beginning with ‘nahay-khay’ on November 18.
Patna divisional commissioner Sanjay Kumar Agarwal and DM Kumar Ravi on Sunday jointly flagged off 75 ‘Ganga Jal’ tankers from Digha Ghat, one for each ward. The Ganga water will be distributed among the devotees for performing rituals and preparing ‘prasad’.
Agarwal said each household can take up to 1 litre of Ganga water. “Around 100 tanks will be stationed in different localities of the city. The move will go a long way in avoiding gatherings at ghats. Through jingles and awareness drive, we are encouraging people to perform rituals at home,” he said.
Agawal added the traffic plan would be prepared in such a way that only locals would be able to visit ghats to fetch Ganga water. “Basic arrangements will be made at the ghats. Medical teams and security personnel will also be deployed at all the ghats,” he said.
This year, celebrations will be allowed only at selected ghats with the permission of the district administration.
The DM said barricading work and other preparations have started from Patna Collectorate Ghat to Gai Ghat. “The barricading of ghats, construction of watch towers, help desks, lighting poles, changing rooms, toilets and repair of approach roads have started,” he said.
“All the dangerous ghats will be out of bound for the people. Locals who have no facility to perform Chhath at home can do so at ghats. Traffic movement will be restricted on Ashok Rajpath and at Digha to stop overcrowding at ghats during the festival,” Ravi said.
Roadside shops selling fruits, vegetables and other puja materials near the ghats will not be allowed this time.