Rourkela: The Vedvyas temple trust here has taken a string of measures to ensure smooth conduction of the annual fair that will kick start Monday.
All preparations have been completed to set the ground for around 700 makeshift shops and thousands of visitors who will throng the fair every day.
As per a decisions taken at the trust board meeting at the office of the additional district collector’s office February 8 here, 20 police officers and seven platoons of police were deployed at the venue.
Vedvyas police station OIC Upendra Pradhan, who is also a member of the trust, said measures have been taken to curb sale of country liquor and IMFL.
Measures have been taken to light up the road between Vedvyas square and the fair venue. LED lights have been installed on the bank of river Vedvyas. For the first time, the temple is kept under CCTV cameras, said temple trustee ramesh Agrawal.
A slew of measures have been taken to ensure that devotees take a darshan of Lord Shiva at the shrine without hitch, he added.
Trust secretary Anupam Ray said, a 30-member fire brigade team and a 24-member team of Orissa Disaster Rapid Action Force (ODRAF) will keep a vigil on the goings-on.
Measures have been taken to warn visitors against venturing into the river as some portions of it are considered unsafe. Barricades have been put up at unsafe portions of the river. Officials of Mandira dam were asked not to release water into the river during the festivity, pointed out Ray.
Thirty civil defence volunteers and village youths were engaged to maintain discipline at the festival, said board member Rajesh Garg.
The venue had been made spacious to ease movement of police patrolling vehicles, fire-brigade vehicles and ambulances.
Three ambulances, a transit hospital and required employees have been deployed for emergency service, Garg said.
Arrangements have been made to install water tanks and water tanker vehicles to ensure that visitors do not face problems.
Twenty make-shift toilets have been set up at the venue so that visitors can access public toilets without hitch. Each stall has been provided with a dustbin and all possible measures have been taken to maintain proper sanitation.
A food court has been opened to provide culinary delicacies to visitors. Cultural functions will mark each evening. PNN
