Administration finalizes Diwali arrangements at Udhampur

UDHAMPUR: Arrangements for celebration of Diwali, the festival of lights in Udhampur were finalized at a meeting of District Officers of various departments and representatives of Trade Unions, held under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner, Udhampur, Mr. Mr. Baseer Ahmed, here on Tuesday.
SSP Udhampur, Shakeel Ahmed Beig, Assistant Commissioner Revenue, Chief Medical Officer, Assistant Director, CA & PD, Assistant Director, Fire Services, Dy. Controller, Civil Defence, officers of PHE, PDD, Municipality, Pollution Control Board, Tehsildar (territorial), Udhampur, District Traffic Inspector and Presidents of Trade, Halwai and Fruit Unions, were present in the meeting.
Threadbare discussions were held on the related arrangements like installation of cracker stalls, security, maintenance of law and order, traffic regulation, drinking water and power supply, sanitation, Medicare, checking of rates and quality of eatables and deployment of fire tenders.
It was disclosed in the meeting that the venue for the sale of crackers has been specified at Subhash Stadium, Udhampur wherein as many as 65 stalls are being put up for the sale of crackers. The DDC asked the shopkeepers of the town not to sell crackers at their establishments except the already identified venue.
The PHE and PDD would ensure adequate drinking water and uninterrupted power supply especially at the venue of stalls where people in large number would visit for purchasing crackers and fireworks. The Executive Officer, Municipality would ensure cleansing of venue of cracker stalls and entire town. The Health Department would ensure first-aid facility and Fire Services to deploy fire tenders to meet any eventuality.
The meeting also decided that a joint team of officers of Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution, Health, Municipality, Legal Meteorology and Revenue departments would conduct frequent checks in the bazaars to keep a check on the rates and quality of products especially sweets and fruit items.
Speaking on the occasion, the DDC asked the representatives of Fruit and Halwai and other trade unions to ensure sale of quality sweets and fruits to consumers on reasonable rates by displaying rate lists of their products on their business establishments. He said that special squads would keep strict vigil on the quality and rates of eatables during the festive days and in case of sub-standard quality or over charging comes in the notice, heavy fines would be imposed.