13 ghats ready for idol immersion

Patna: The district administration has made elaborate arrangements for idol immersion at 13 ghats and artificial ponds in the city after conclusion of the nine-day Durga Puja on October 13. Artificial ponds have been created at the Ganga ghats for the immersion process, while magistrates, officials and police force have been deployed 24/7 to monitor the situation, and maintain law and order during the entire process.The puja committees have been directed to maintain sanitation at the ghats while immersing the idols.
According to officials, the idols will be immersed on Digha Patipul Ghat, Manikchand Talab, Law College Ghat, near Badi Devi Ji Milan Sthal in Patna City, pond near Bhadra Ghat, Gai Ghat, Kangan ghat, Damrahi Ghat in Patna City, Nand Gola Ghat in Malsalaami, Nariyal Ghat, Nasriganj Ghat and Shahpur Ghat.
Patna DM Chandrashekhar Singh said, “The puja committees will immerse the idols on October 13 and 14. Several artificial water bodies have been created on the banks of river Ganga. The administrative officials will keep a tab during the immersion. The remains of the idols will be extracted from the ponds by the teams deployed on the ghats. Around 1600 Durga Puja pandals have been set up in the district this year. After the end of the immersion on October 14, the sanitation workers would clean the ghats.”
The DM said that the puja committees had been directed to remove puja and decorative items made up of paper and plastic materials from the idols. “The idols will be immersed in the artificial ponds only. They will not be allowed to be immersed in the river or natural ponds. The administrative officials concerned have been directed to co-ordinate with the puja committees to identify these ponds through geo-tagging,” Singh said.