Odisha CM wishes people on Durga Puja, calls for harmony and peaceful celebrations

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Monday extended greetings to the people of Odisha on the occasion of Durga Puja.

“I extend my heartfelt wishes to the people of Odisha on the occasion of Durga Puja and Dussehra. The festival is being celebrated with devotion and grandeur from cities to villages across the state. Maa Durga has descended to bless us, and I pray for a peaceful, prosperous, and developed Odisha under her divine grace. I appeal to everyone to celebrate the festival with harmony and peace,” said Majhi.

Meanwhile, the Odisha Police have put in place adequate security arrangements for the smooth conduct of the Sharadiya Durga Puja festival this year in various districts of the state, including the twin cities – Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.

Informing the media persons, Police Commissioner S Dev Datta Singh on Monday said that a total of 193 small and large pandals have been set up this year in Bhubaneswar, including 24 where idols are adorned with costly gold and silver ornaments.

Singh said the security focus will be on crowd regulation and traffic control. For this, static guards and mobile units, including 13 strike and mobile parties, have been deployed. The Commissioner informed that surveillance will be ensured through a combination of manual, semi-manual, and electronic systems. Drones will be used to monitor crowd movement and ensure adequate exit points.

In case of overcrowding, public address system announcements will guide devotees to other pandals and safe areas. He said that the arrangement will remain in force for the next three days, followed by two more days of vigilance during idol immersion.

During immersion, while pandal security will be scaled down, traffic diversions and smooth vehicular movement will be the key focus.

To ensure smooth conduct of the Durga Puja, the Commissionerate police has deployed 38 platoons of police force, 20 platoons of home guard, one company of Central Armed Police Force (CAPF), one Special Tactical Unit (STU), and a bomb detection and disposal squad with equipment in Bhubaneswar.

Three DCP-rank officers, six Additional DCPs, 12 ACPs, 33 Inspectors,172 Sub Inspectors and Assistant SIs and 79 women constables have been deployed in Bhubaneswar for better supervision.

Similarly, plain-clothes police personnel have been deployed, and CCTV in all pandals have been installed to prevent crimes such as snatching, theft, and other anti-social activities.

–IANS