Kishtwar Administration hosts Diwali Mela from 9-12 November

DC invites people for mega event; finalises Arrangements for festival of lights

KISHTWAR, November 06: The District Administration Kishtwar today finalized the arrangements for the celebration of Deepawali Festival in the district.

Deputy Commissioner, Dr. Devansh Yadav chaired a meeting involving line and police departments as well as representatives of the civil society to address different aspects of the  preparations for the festival of lights.

Additional Deputy Commissioner, Inderjeet Singh Parihar, Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Varunjeet Singh Charak, CEO Kishtwar Development Authority, Dr. Rishi Kumar Sharma, Tehsildar HQ, Chander Shekhar Sharma, ExEn Jal Shakti, Sunil Sharma, EO Municipal Council Kishtwar Ninad Sen, Chief Medical Officer, Dr M Y Mir, AEE PDD Sudheer Sharma, and other concerned individuals and staff of DC Office attended the meeting.

During the meeting, the requirements for the effective celebration of the holy festival were highlighted by the representatives of the Sanatan Dharm Sabha. The DC assured them that all issues would be addressed through timely intervention by the concerned departments.

Various aspects of the festival, such as security, law and order, traffic regulation, drinking water and power supply, sanitation, healthcare, quality control of eatables, and fire safety, were discussed and finalized. A joint team of departments was constituted to intensify market inspections to prevent overpricing, profiteering, and black-marketing, while ensuring the quality of food products.

Additionally, the health department will have 2 ambulances available at the District Hospital for emergencies. The Fire and Emergency services department will maintain an adequate number of fire tenders on alert at Dak Banglow and Hidyal Chowk, while firecracker stalls would be set up on Chowgan Grounds with all safety measures.

The police department will ensure security measures in public and religious places during the festival. The ADC will deploy duty magistrates and establish a Control Room, while PRIs will help raise awareness of safety measures among the public.

Authorities in charge of water supply (Jal Shakti) will plug leaks and ensure uninterrupted water supply, and the power supply (JPDCL) will remain uninterrupted during the Deepawali festival.

The EO Municipal Council Kishtwar and CEO KDA will maintain cleanliness in and around the temples and ensure streets in Kishtwar town and at the temples are well-lit.

The DC Kishtwar also announced that the district administration will host a 4- day Diwali Mela, from 9th November till Nov 12 at TRC Ground and surrounding area. The Activities and Attractions will be Traditional Food Stalls, Cultural Performances (Music, Dance, Drama), Craft and Merchandise Stalls, Rangoli Competitions, Fireworks Display, Diya Lighting Ceremony, Carnival Rides and Games, Charity and Community Service Initiatives and VR Gaming Centre.

The Deputy Commissioner asked the attendees to encourage the public to participate in the festive event enthusiastically.

SDMs were directed to hold preparedness meetings in their respective headquarters to ensure timely and smooth arrangements for the festival.