Ensure smooth “Chehlum Procession” Mayor City directs officials

AATIF QAYOOM
Srinagar, Sep 07: The Mayor of Srinagar on Wednesday directed all officials to ensure a smooth and peaceful chehlum procession in Srinagar. Also directs them to ensure proper water supply, street lights, traffic management, health services, fire and emergency services, PDD, and others.
In this regard, Mayor Srinagar Junaid Azim Mattu also held a meeting with all senior officials of Srinagar Municipal Corporation and other departments at Zaildar Mohhalla Saida Kadal.
The meeting that focused on the preparation and arrangement of the upcoming Chehlum procession was attended by Commissioner SMC Athar Amir Khan, Joint Commissioner Works, SMC, officials from Fire and Emergency Services, R&B, Municipal Veterinary Officer, Xen’s from SMC, PDD, CDD, Drainage Circle, Xen MCD Srinagar, Xen ED II KPDCL, Xen PHE Jal Shakti, Xen City Roads, AEES and others.
Mattu on the occasion impressed upon the officer that a collaborative effort is required from all the concerned departments to make the processions of Chehlum smooth, successful and peaceful.
During the meeting, the mayor directed the Jal Shakti department to put enough water tankers near Imambargahs, particularly at Mehdi Chowk, Saida Kadal, Hassnabad, Zadibal, and other places where large congregational gatherings will be held, and emphasized the importance of providing water tanker services to these areas on the occasion.
The electric wing of the SMC was also directed to impact the functionality of all street lights and go for the restoration of defunct street lights on the procession routes and Imambarah’s where processions and prayers will be held on Chehlum.
Officials from the Health Department have been directed to organize medical camps at Hassnabad, Mehdi Chowk, and Ranger stop, as well as additional medical first aid facilities and ambulance availability. These camps must have enough staff and medical supplies at these locations so that these services can be accessed on demand.
PDD officials were directed to ensure that no low-lying LT wires should be hanging anywhere and that the procession routes should be proactively inspected to ensure the complete safety of people participating in processions.
Meanwhile, Commissioner SMC Athar Amir Khan in a meeting also directed all the concerned officers to keep a close liaison with the general public and the intizamia committee of the Shia specific areas to address their problems on priority, further stressing the need to upkeep sanitation in these areas and also to conduct extensive sanitation drives by pressing hoppers, water sprinklers, foggers, and other sanitation-related machines and equipment into service for Chehlum.
On the occasion, the Municipal Veterinary Officer was directed to keep a close eye on stray dogs and to have a dog-catching squad ready for management.