Gearing up for Durga’s adieu

SILIGURI, Oct. 8: The Siliguri Municipal Corporation and the police have made adequate arrangements to facilitate smooth immersion in the town beginning tomorrow. “All the immersion ghats, especially the Mahananda ghat, are being repaired and security arrangements are complete,” said the Corporation and police officials today. Mr Mukul Sengupta, the mayor-in-council, SMC, said that the Corporation in conjunction with all the police stations in the town has taken all the necessary measures to ensure smooth immersions. “The immersion process would span over three days, beginning tomorrow. All the images must be immersed by Saturday. The ghats, where the immersion would take place, are being repaired on a war footing and the work would be complete by tomorrow morning,” he said. Mr Sengupta further said that adequate lighting arrangements were being made to illuminate the ghats. “Special arrangements are also being made to keep the garlands and leaves and other articles in a separate place. These usually pollute the river. We seek cooperation from the Puja organisers to keep the river clean during the immersion process,” he said. The Inspector-in-charge, Siliguri police station, Mr Pravat Kumar Chakrabarty, said that special rescue teams comprising health and other officials would be present at the principal ghats. n SNS