CHATRA/DUMKA: Anticipating a rush of devotees who usually make a beeline for
temples and other places of worship on the first day of a
new year, authorities across
Ramgarh,
Chatra and Deoghar – which are home some of the most revered temples in Jharkhand – are making elaborate arrangements to ensure that the Covid-control measures are maintained on Friday.
Rajrappa-based Maa Chinnamastika Temple — located 28km away from the Ramgarh district headquarters at the confluence of Damodar and Bhera rivers — has deployed volunteers along the river banks to keep on the revellers who go there for picnics. “We are engaging divers on boats with life jackets to prevent incidents of drowning. The district administration and the temple committee are jointly working to curb liquor consumption around the temple area. The administration has been conducting raids in the area for the last 15 days to nab the culprits in this regard,” the joint secretary of Maa Chhinamastika Mandir Nyas Samiti, Asim Panda, said.
Inside the temple, the devotees – who usually come from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, besides Jharkhand -- must wear masks while the volunteers will make sure that the former maintain social distancing. “The administration will also deploy security personnel inside the premises for the overall safety of the devotees,” Panda said.
At Maa Bhadrakali Temple in Itkhori (in Chatra district), barricades have been put up to make sure that the devotees maintain social distancing. Temple secretary and Itkhori circle officer Baidyanth Kamati said, “Police teams will be deployed tomorrow to make sure that there’s no trouble and the
Covid norms’ violators will not be spared.”
Deoghar deputy commissioner Manjunath Bhajantri said they have decided to extend Baba Baidhyanathdham temple’s timings and keep it open for 12 hours (from 4am onwards) on January 1 keeping in mind the rush of devotees. “Besides deploying latge numbers of magistrates and security personnel, the temple authorities have been directed to ensure the strict implementation of Covid norms tomorrow.
The DC added that they have taken stock of security arrangements across all the entry points of the temple, including Sanskar Mandap and Queue Complex.
Bhajantri also directed SDO (civil)-cum-temple in-charge to conduct sanitisation drives across the premises, make sure that the lavatories clean and that there is uninterrupted supply of power and drinking water for the devotees.
He has also asked the officials concerned to put up barricades on the roads leading up to the temple to prevent overcrowding or a stampede-like situation.
The Deoghar administration has deployed magistrates at other areas of the temple town, including Nandan Pahad, Tapovan and Trikuti hills where picnickers gather in large numbers.
In Dumka, similar arrangements have been made by the district administration at Basukinath shiva temple. Dumka DC Rajeshwari B has directed the authorities concerned to remain vigilant to avoid any untoward incident owing to the overcrowding of visitors both at the temple and the nearby Massanjore dam.