West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday said only followers of Sanatan Dharma would be allowed to touch Durga idols during immersion in the Hooghly river, saying religious traditions must be respected.
Adhikari made the remarks while reviewing immersion arrangements at Babughat in Kolkata, accompanied by Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Nand and Kolkata Municipal Commissioner Smita Pandey.
"I have instructed the CP to keep the identification of those who will be involved in carrying the idols into the Hooghly river. Those who follow 'Sanatan Dharma' will touch the idols. There is no communal matter in it," he said.
The chief minister said the arrangements had been strengthened this year, with authorities focusing on security and the religious significance of the rituals.
"To maintain the purity of the immersion, we have to follow the traditions, the scriptures and the rules that have been followed for several thousand years. This is a festival, but primarily it is a religious programme," he said.
Adhikari said trolleys had been arranged instead of cranes following complaints. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) has also been included in the arrangements to prevent accidents during immersion, he said.
The police, disaster management authorities and the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) could seek assistance from other agencies, including the Kolkata Port Trust, if required, he added. The water would be cleaned after the immersion process concludes on October 24.
The chief minister also expressed concern over the safety of people travelling in country boats to watch idol immersion in the Ichamati river at Taki in North 24 Parganas district.
At least 200 country boats were expected to carry spectators during the immersion, he said. Although the administration had tried to discourage the practice, it had to take local sentiments into account.
"We have taken precautions like providing life jackets and measures to balance the weight, but we are still worried because most of them are country boats (dingi)," he said.
The Border Security Force (BSF) has been roped in to assist with arrangements at Taki. A cabinet minister has also been sent to the area, while the Deputy Inspector General of Police of the Barasat Range has been assigned responsibility, Adhikari said.
After visiting Babughat, the chief minister reviewed immersion arrangements at ghats on the Howrah side of the Hooghly river from a boat.
Security has been intensified following the stampede at the Chorbagan Durga Puja pandal on Mahasaptami evening, which claimed 19 lives.
A total of 18 IPS officers will supervise idol immersions in Kolkata and three neighbouring police commissionerates until October 24, a senior official said. Of them, 12 have been assigned to Kolkata, while six will oversee the process in Howrah, Barrackpore and Chandannagar.
In Kolkata, Gaurav Sharma, Soma Das Mitra, Rashid Munir Khan, Akash Magharia, Suresh Kumar Chadive and Dhritiman Sarkar will supervise immersions on October 21 and 23. Praveen Kumar Tripathi, Imran Wahab, Shish Ram Jhajharia, Soumya Roy, Parijat Biswas and Siddhartha Dhapola will be on duty on October 22 and 24.
In Howrah, Indra Chakraborty will oversee immersions on October 21 and 23, while Avaru Ravindranath will supervise the process on October 22 and 24. Palash Chandra Dhali and Dyutiman Bhattacharya have been assigned to Barrackpore, while Abhijit Banerjee and Sandeep Mandal will oversee immersions in Chandannagar.
The Kolkata Police have deployed surveillance and monitoring teams across the city to ensure the smooth conduct of the immersion process, a senior officer said.
Police pickets have been set up at around 200 key intersections and locations, while forces have been deployed at 28 ghats along the Hooghly river, five ghats along the Adi Ganga and 34 ponds and lakes.
The KMC has made separate arrangements at immersion sites, including Dahi Ghat in Kidderpore, Babughat, Ahiritola, Kumartuli and Baje Kadamtala Ghat.
Authorities have strengthened security at Baje Kadamtala, Nimtala and Judges Ghat, where most immersions generally take place, the officer said. Municipal teams have been formed to patrol the ghats from the morning, with arrangements expected to continue until late at night.
"Ensuring the safety of people during idol immersion is our priority. Adequate personnel have been deployed at the ghats, while forces are keeping watch at sensitive locations. We have also made arrangements for quick rescue operations in case of any emergency," a senior Kolkata Police officer told PTI.
To prevent accidents in the Hooghly river, 25 life-saving boats have been deployed, manned by police personnel, experienced boatmen and rescue workers, he said.
Four motorised boats were patrolling the river near Nimtala, Baje Kadamtala, Gwalior Ghat and Garden Reach. Ropes and hooks have been kept ready on the boats to facilitate rescue operations.
Trained swimmers from the Disaster Management Group (DMG) have also been deployed at the four locations. DMG personnel will be stationed at at least 30 ghats and water bodies across the city, the officer said.
The Kolkata Police headquarters has also issued special instructions to ensure that immersion ghats remain clean throughout the process. Similar measures have been ordered at ponds and other water bodies where idols will be immersed.
Dustbins have been placed at the ghats, while municipal sanitation workers have been deployed from Dashami to keep the areas clean.
On Wednesday, the first day of immersion, idols from household pujas and a few community pujas were expected to be taken for immersion.
(With inputs from PTI)