This story is from July 8, 2017

Security beefed up for Shrawani Mela

Preparations are afoot on a war footing in Bhagalpur and Banka districts for the monthlong Shrawani Mela to be opened on July 8.
Security beefed up for Shrawani Mela
BHAGALPUR: Preparations are afoot on a war footing in Bhagalpur and Banka districts for the monthlong Shrawani Mela to be opened on July 8.
Lakhs of devotees, belonging to not only the different parts of the country but also neighbouring countries like Bhutan and Nepal, travel to Sultanganj near Bhagalpur in Bihar to fetch holy water from the Ganga and trek barefoot to the Lord Shiva temple at Deoghar in neighbouring Jharkhand during the holy month of Shrawan every year.

The administration is regularly reviewing the preparations for the fair at Sultanganj and on the trek routes, a major part of which falls under Banka district. Personnel from road, electricity, health, public health engineering, water, food safety and information and public relations departments are involved in making preparations for the fair.
Bhagalpur divisional commissioner Ajay Kumar Choudhary has directed officials to ensure a hassle-free pilgrimage for the devotees. Special care will be taken to supply uninterrupted power to Sultanganj and on the trek routes.
He has asked the PHED officials to ensure sanitation and make available potable water through tankers on the routes and the health department officials to see that eatables are cooked in hygienic conditions at the makeshift shops.
“Legal action will be taken if any doctor skips the fair duty,” he told TOI on Wednesday.
Referring to the trek route from Sultanganj Siri Ghat to Deoghar (of which nearly 100km falls under Banka district), the divisional commissioner said engineers concerned had been directed to widen the trek route up to 15ft and lay a three-inch layer of fine sand on the route so as to make the pilgrimage convenient for the barefoot devotees.
“Personnel on duty, including those from police department, will be directed to act in a friendly manner with the devotees,” Choudhary said.
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