Shadow Correspondent
Jammu, Feb, 19
Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Baseer Ahmad Khan on Friday reviewed the arrangements for the celebration of the upcoming Mahashivratri festival in Jammu and Kashmir.
While reviewing the arrangements, the Advisor said that this auspicious day has great religious and cultural significance and is celebrated by the Kashmiri Pandit community with great zeal and enthusiasm and directed the officers to facilitate the local community by ensuring best possible arrangements for the celebration of the festival.
Mahashivratri is celebrated annually by the followers of Lord Shiva among the Hindu community, especially by Kashmiri Pandits, to commemorate the marriage of the Shiva with Parvati. The festival is scheduled to be celebrated on March 10.
The Advisor directed the officers to ensure adequate supply of essential commodities in the markets, especially around migrant camps and non-camp areas where the Kashmiri Pandit community lives.
Horticulture and Floriculture departments in Jammu and Kashmir were told to set up special markets to facilitate local community to buy fish, nadru, flowers and dry fruits, while the Municipal Corporation was entrusted the task to provide sanitation facilities in and around the migrant camps and non-camp areas where Kashmiri pandits have a sizeable population.
The Advisor also directed the officers to ensure round the clock supply of power and water. He said that water tankers should be kept available to maintain water supply and transformers should be kept on stand by mode to be replaced in case of any outages. He also directed the Deputy Commissioners to dedicate special medical teams, ambulance services to cater to any eventuality. He also directed the concerned Deputy Commissioners to ensure proper transport facilities in their respective districts to ensure safe passage of pilgrims and also make arrangements of well furnished rooms to ensure comfortable stay of the pilgrims.
He directed the DCs that they should hold meeting with all the allied department heads so that all arrangements are put in place beforehand to ensure hassle free celebration of the festival. He also directed them that a control room should be formed and helpline numbers should be properly disseminated through print and electronic media.
The Advisor was assured by the DCs that all necessary arrangements like timely supply of essential commodities like rice, LPG, fresh vegetables and constitution of checking squads to keep these items available on normal during the festival days will be put in place.
The meeting was attended by Secretary DMRRR, Commissioner Jammu Municipal Corporation, Commisioner Relief and Rehabilitation Jammu, Director Food Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Jammu, Director Horticulture Planning and Marketing, Jammu, Director Sheep Husbandry, Jammu, Director Fisheries, Jammu, Managing Director JPDCL, Chief Engineer Jal Shakti Jammu among other officers. Deputy Commissioners from Kashmir division attended the meeting through video conferencing.
