One Lakh Cops Protect Over 37,000 Vinayaka Idols in Tamil Nadu
18,000 police on protection duty in Chennai, immersion on September 19, 20
CHENNAI: About 1 lakh policemen had been deployed to protect more than 37,000 Vinayaka idols installed at various places throughout the state for their immersion on September 19 and 20. Greater Chennai Police have made elaborate arrangements for the Vinayaka idol processions and immersion of 1,562 idols at four places near the beach, deploying 16,500 police personnel and 1,500 Home Guards for security.
Policemen will monitor all the places where the Vinayaka idols have been installed and surveillance would be done by two-wheeler and four-wheeler patrol vehicles. People have been urged to instal CCTV cameras where idols have been installed. In Chennai, the usual places allowed for the idol immersion are Neelankarai, Thiruvottiyur, Pattinapakkam and Kasimedu fishing harbour.
The police have instructed the organisations which carry out the processions to ensure that they go on the permitted days, on the permitted routes. The idols should be immersed only at the places permitted by the police. Temporary control rooms and help desks would be created at all idol immersion points.
Arrangements have been made to immerse idols with the help of conveyor belts, cranes and boats. Further, fire tenders, ambulances, motorboats and swimmers will be in ready to handle any emergency. Besides, watchtowers would be erected at immersion points and monitoring of crowds will be done through binoculars, mounted branch personnel and all-terrain vehicles.
The National Green Tribunal has ordered not to allow the immersion of idols at Pattinapakkam and Neelankarai beaches. It is not known if any alternative places would be announced by the city police before the day of immersion. The organisations arranging the procession of idols are asked to go only through police-permitted routes and immerse idols only at police-permitted immersion points.
The police said they have imposed restrictions and conditions for installation of Vinayaka Idols, performing poojas and immersion of idols in water bodies in conformity with the guidelines of the Madras high court, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, Tamil Nadu fire and rescue services department, besides Greater Chennai Corporation.
Permission had been granted to instal 1,562 Vinayaka idols based on the assurance given by the organisers to adhere to the restrictions and conditions imposed by the Greater Chennai Police and also to perform poojas in a peaceful manner and also to immerse idols at the permitted points.
Greater Chennai Police have issued a warning that if there is any violation of police restrictions and conditions at places of worship of Vinayaka idols, procession routes and at immersion points, appropriate legal action will be taken against the violators.
