Silchar: Sribhumi district administration on Tuesday issued a set of guidelines for Durga Puja celebrations, making fire safety measures, crowd management and compliance with noise restrictions mandatory for puja committees across the district.The decisions were taken at a meeting convened by the district administration, where officials reviewed security arrangements and preparedness for the festival.According to the administration, control rooms of the police, fire and emergency services, and district administration will remain operational throughout the festival to respond to emergencies.Residents can contact the police control room at 8099662275, fire and emergency services at 03843-262101, and the district control room at the district commissioner’s office at 03843-280000.The administration has also made helmets mandatory for both riders and pillion passengers on two-wheelers during the festival.Puja committees have been directed to comply with noise restrictions while playing devotional music between 6 am and 10 pm. The guidelines specify a 10-decibel limit, citing Supreme Court directives.All puja pandals must have adequate fire safety equipment, including fire extinguishers, sand and water, to deal with emergencies. Organisers have also been asked to install dustbins and maintain cleanliness in and around pandals.The administration has prohibited the use of high-decibel sound systems during idol immersion processions and urged organisers to avoid activities that could hurt the religious sentiments of other communities.To prevent overcrowding at immersion sites, only five to 10 members from each puja committee will be allowed to enter river ghats during idol immersion.Puja committees have also been instructed to deploy volunteers at pandals for crowd management and arrange separate queues for male and female devotees.The district administration appealed to organisers and residents to cooperate with authorities and follow the guidelines to ensure peaceful and incident-free celebrations across Sribhumi.
