Ludhiana: Cabinet ministers Aman Arora and Hardeep Singh Mundian Thursday inspected Chhath Puja arrangements in Ludhiana and directed the administration to ensure adequate security, traffic management, medical assistance and deployment of trained divers at the ghats ahead of the festival on Nov 15.Acting on directions of chief minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, the ministers visited the Sidhwan Canal bridge on Pakhowal Road and the Sutlej river at Ladhowal to review preparations.They were accompanied by MLAs Kulwant Singh Sidhu and Jeevan Singh Sangowal, AAP district president Jatinder Singh Khangura, deputy commissioner Himanshu Aggarwal and senior district administration officials.Arora directed officials to ensure proper arrangements at puja ghats, including security and deployment of divers. He said the state govt was committed to providing devotees all necessary facilities for celebrating Chhath Puja safely and without inconvenience.He said the chief minister had held a special meeting to review preparations at places across Punjab where Chhath celebrations are being organised and directed administrations to make adequate arrangements for devotees.Mundian said officials in Ludhiana had been asked to put in place adequate security and traffic-management measures, besides deploying health department teams. SDRF personnel and trained divers will be stationed at vulnerable locations to respond to emergencies, he added.The administration has also launched a dedicated helpline, 0161-2403100, for devotees and organisers seeking assistance before, during or after the festival.Mundian said the administration would facilitate essential resources, including JCB machines, water tankers and tarpaulins, wherever required.The ministers later inspected arrangements along the Sutlej at Ladhowal and asked officials to ensure that devotees face no inconvenience during the celebrations.
