Kolkata, Nov. 10 -- The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has prepared 33 ghats for the immersion of Kali Puja idols this year, which begins on Wednesday, with arrangements in place to manage crowds and prevent pollution of water bodies.
Of the 33 sites, 21 are along the Hooghly, three on the Adi Ganga and nine at ponds. The civic body has deployed a senior official at each ghat, supported by teams from its parks and squares, drainage and solid waste management departments. Dumpers, cranes and earthmovers will be stationed at the sites.
The steps leading to the river and pond ghats are being cleaned, while barricades will regulate entry. Only a specified number of members from each puja committee will be allowed inside the cordoned-off areas. Idols immersed in the Hooghly will be lifted out by cranes and transported in dumpers to the Dhapa landfill site.
Separate designated areas have been earmarked at each ghat for flowers and puja offerings. Sanitation workers will ensure that these materials are collected and do not accumulate along the banks.
Medical teams, including doctors and nurses, an ambulance and first-aid equipment will be available at every ghat. The civic body has arranged lighting, with staff from its lighting department on duty, and a bio-toilet at each site.
A civic official said the scale of Kali Puja immersion was considerably larger than that of Durga Puja, making crowd management, cleanliness, safety and the prevention of river pollution
key priorities.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.