BICHOLIM
Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Saturday said the State administration has made extensive preparations for the upcoming Lairai Devi zatra at Shirgao, with the safety of every devotee being the top priority.
Sawant was speaking after inspecting a mock drill on Saturday night as part of preparations ahead of the famous Shirgao Zatra, which will be attended by thousands of devotees on April 21 and 25. Mayem MLA Premendra Shet and several senior officials were also present during the mock drill.
The exercise was attended by personnel from the police, fire services, health department, transport department, and temple committee officials. Each department demonstrated its preparedness through practical drills.
While guiding the officials, the chief minister emphasised that no officer should evade responsibility. He urged all departments to work in coordination to ensure that the festival is conducted smoothly and without any untoward incidents.
Referring to last year’s tragic stampede, which claimed the lives of six devotees and injuries to dozens, Sawant instructed officials to take extra precautions this year.
He stressed the need for strict vigilance at crowded locations, immediate action against suspicious activities, and effective implementation of traffic and security arrangements.
Approximately 900 police personnel, along with officials from various departments including police teams, health services, and fire brigade, have been deployed. Preparations have been underway for the past six to eight months and are now in the final stage, the Chief Minister said.
The chief minister also visited the control room to inspect CCTV surveillance systems and other arrangements. Special instructions were given to maintain tight security around the Homkund area during nighttime and to implement traffic restrictions when necessary.
Appealing to senior citizens and children to take extra care, he assured that the administration will provide special arrangements for their convenience. MLA Premendra Shet also reviewed the preparations and offered guidance and suggestions.
The meeting was attended by District Collector Ankit Yadav, Superintendent of Police Harish Madkaikar, Director of Fire and Emergency Services Nitin Raiker, Gurudas Desai, Shubham Naik, Shailendra Desai, and other senior officials from the traffic cell, electricity, water supply, fire services, and health departments.
All departments expressed their commitment to work in coordination to ensure the successful and incident-free conduct of the festival.
The chief minister reviewed the preparedness of each department, while officials presented detailed reports of their arrangements. District Collector Ankit Yadav provided a comprehensive briefing during the session.
During the mock drill, demonstrations were carried out showcasing arrangements related to security, traffic management, medical response, fire safety, and overall crowd control.
