Bhojpur ghats being spruced up

Ara: With a view to ensuring all facilities and security during Chhath, the Bhojpur district administration is busy giving finishing touches to its preparations on all the ghats. Bhojpur DM and the SP held a meeting with all the officials concerned on Saturday to ensure a safe and peaceful Chhath in the district. Altogether, 71 magistrates have been deputed who have been directed to maintain law and order.
DM Birendra Prasad Yadav and SP Naveen Chandra Jha said they have inspected all the ghats in Bhojpur and have directed the officials to ensure safety and facilities to the devotees and also maintain peace. The ghats will be ready by November 16, they added.
They said the Bhojpur district has 58 ghats of which the collectorate pond, Gangi, Dharhara, Sapna cinema mor, Powerganj, New Policeline, Chandawa Sun temple, Dhobighatawa, Anaith, Ramgarhia in Ara, Belaur Sun Temple in Udwantnagar, Baburwani, Goraya, TB sanitorium, Mahadev-Semaria, Farhangpur, Bahiara, Jharkhandi Sthan (Khangaw) in Koelwar, Kewatiya, Piparpati, Balua, Sinha, Keshwpur, Nathamalpur, Mahuli, Ganga ghat in Barahara, Shiva Jee Pokhara, Hematpur, Dalippur Dih, Dalippur Chhathia Pokhar, Dulaun, Kahthu, Masaurhi, Asani, Ayar, Kotwali Chowk in Jagdishpur, Mahathin Road Sun temple, Kateya road, Primary Health Centre canal, Teghara, Dharsara Pokhar, in Bihia, Barisawan, Kundeshwar, Belauti Sun Temple, Suhia, Sonvarsha Bhagad, Mahuar, Gaura in Shahpur, Bahari Mahadev, Ojhawalia Mor, Bagar Sun Temple, Sikarhatta in Piro, Sun Temple, Ituhari Sun Temple, Nonaur Sun Temple in Charpokhari, Chandi, Bakari in Sandesh, have been earmarked as the major ghats in the district.
On the other hand, the district administration has banned Bahiara, Mahadevchak, Semaria ghats due to indiscriminate sand mining from river Sone in Koelwar and Chandi.
The officials said a number of CCTVs are being installed to maintain round-the-clock vigil on the ghats and videographers are being deputed at major ghats where there will be no CCTV. Public address systems have also been installed at the ghats.
Meanwhile, bamboo barricading of major and dangerous ghats have been done.
NDRF teams with boats, life jackets and trained divers will patrol the Ganga and the Sone rivers and doctors, magistrates along with police have been deputed at different ghats and added control rooms have been established at all the major ghats where important numbers will be displayed. Bursting of crackers at the ghats and ferrying of private boats on rivers have been banned.
Essential items including fruits, coconuts and ‘sups’ were distributed among Chhath devotees this year by a number of social organizations at different places in Ara by organizing camps on Sunday.
The members of these organizations said they had been distributing such items for the last several years and will continue to do it for the sake of society.