Speaking at a taluk-level harmony meeting in Nagamangala ahead of the festival, Deputy Commissioner of Mandya Kumar said no festival should be celebrated in an atmosphere of fear and apprehension. There should be no scope for incidents that could provoke communal sentiments in Mandya district, which is known for its spirit for communal amity.
He said some incidents that had occurred in the district over the past two years were a black mark on the system, he said while appealing to the public to remain vigilant and ensure that such incidents do not recur.
“Every member of society should act responsibly to ensure that activities disturbing harmony and communal amity are prevented,” he said.
While pointing out that “no one is above the law and everyone should respect the law,” Mr. Kumar said it is everyone’s responsibility to guide the youngsters, who are led astray, and prevent them from engaging in anti-social activities. “Everyone should take up the responsibility of counselling those intending to disrupt harmony,” he said.
Single window system
Making it clear that installation of Ganesha idols in public places requires permission, Mr. Kumar said the applicants need not visit the offices of different departments for this purpose.“Officials from the police, revenue, fire and local-body departments will sit together at a single location, conduct inspections and issue permission within 24 hours under a single-window system,” he said.
The documents required for obtaining permission have also been simplified, and associations and members of the public installing Ganesha idols should cooperate with the district administration, he said.
Superintendent of Mandya district police V.J. Shobharaji, who also attended the meeting, said the date for installing and immersing Ganesha idols and the routes for processions should be finalised in consultation with the police department and followed accordingly. Necessary police security arrangements will be made based on these plans.
Ms. Shobharani said the use of DJs will not be permitted. Loudspeakers should be used within prescribed volumes in residential areas, she said.
In view of the safety of women and girls, CCTV cameras should be installed near Ganesha pandals. Necessary safety measures must be made mandatory during immersion to prevent any untoward incidents, she said.
Social media monitoring
The Superintendent of Police said trained personnel have been deployed at every police station in Mandya district to monitor social media.She appealed to people to exercise caution while publishing posts, posters or reels on social media so that they do not violate the law or hurt the sentiments of any community.
The municipal officials were also directed to install electric lights, barricades and CCTV cameras during the mass immersion of Ganesha idols in the town.
She also instructed the authorities to deploy a crane and trained swimmers during the immersion and take precautionary measures to prevent any untoward incident.