Prayagraj (Allahabad), January 13: Kumbh Mela is set to begin from January 14 and the state administration, led by BJP, is leaving no stone unturned to make India's one of the biggest religious congregations a grand success, but on a different theme – Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s most ambitious scheme ‘Swachh Bharat’. Citing this as a last resort to attract votes for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government has put up 1.22 lakh toilets in line with the theme of 'Swachh Kumbh, Surakshit Kumbh.'
Considered as the most important congregation, around 15 crores of Hindu devotees are expected to attend the one-and-half long religious fair this year, which would conclude on March 4. Along with toilets, the administration had installed a total of 50 reverse osmosis (RO) water ATMs at various locations. To make sure that the arrangements are safe and upto the mark, CM Adityanath is personally monitoring it. Kumbh Mela 2019: Indian Railways to Serve North Indian Veg Food for Pravasi Bharatiya Delegates on Allahabad-Delhi Special Trains.
Speaking more about the sanitation arrangements, Additional Mela Adhikari DK Tringunayat told ANI: "One of our main aims for this Kumbh is to ensure and promote sanitation. Water will be supplied through 5,000 stand posts. As an experiment, we are installing 50 RO water ATMs at the most crowded areas for the people's convenience."
Taking the World Health Organisation's (WHO) 'Sanitation Matters' – linking sanitation and clean water with public health – the goal of SDG-2030 seriously, the state administration is trying to provide all possible arrangements for the visitors. Along with ROs and toilets, the administration has put up 40,000 street lights to avoid any sort of inconvenience to the pilgrim during nights, informed Adityanath.
For the Ardh Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj (Allahabad), over 30,000 security personnel have already been deployed, and more than 1,000 CCTV cameras have been set up. As over 15 crore people are expected to take a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam – the holy confluence of river Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati – the administration is having a sleepless night. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, is expected to inaugurate the Kumbh Mela on Monday.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jan 13, 2019 04:34 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).