Pic: Rapic Action Force conducted parade in Belagavi city on Wednesday, as part of Ganesh Chaturthi bandobastBelagavi: Citing safety concerns during the Ganesh visarjan, city police commissioner, Bhushan Borase, has appealed the locals to burst firecrackers only in open spaces and avoid it in public places. His appeal comes in the wake of a recent mishap at Doddaballapur, where firecracker-related casualties were reported.Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, Borase said the safety of children, women, and the elderly must be prioritised during the Ganesha idol immersion procession which will be held on Sept 6. “I urge people to refrain from bursting crackers in public places for safety reasons,” he stated.A few Ganeshotsav mandals, under the leadership of Belagavi South MLA Abhay Patil, earlier opposed restrictions on bursting firecrackers in the city. Responding to their concerns, Borase clarified that the appeal was made solely in the interest of public safety.The commissioner detailed the extensive bandobast planned for immersion day. KSRP IGP Sandeep Patil, who previously served as SP in Belagavi, was deputed to guide security operations. The deployment includes: 1 DIG-rank officer, 7 SPs, 25 DSPs, 87 CPIs, and 240 PSIs/ASIs. Besides, 1,947 constables, 410 home guards, and units from the Rapid Action Force, KSRP platoons, and nine city armed reserve teams. Security personnel will be on round-the-clock, shift-based duty.Seventeen parking spots have been earmarked for visitors arriving from outside the city. Police teams from Bengaluru and Mysuru have also been brought in for traffic management. All immersion lakes have been cleaned, painted, and electrified, and life jackets will be provided to those participating in the immersion. Ganesh mandals have been directed to strictly follow Supreme Court guidelines on DJ music.Meanwhile, MLA Abhay Patil expressed dissatisfaction over changes to the traditional immersion routes of 47 Ganeshotsav mandals. He also condemned restrictions on firecrackers, stating, “We don’t want police to alter traditions associated with Ganeshotsav as such changes could create unnecessary disturbances.”
