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Organising committees in Ludhiana gear up for ‘low-key’ Ravana Dahan
To avoid large gatherings, barricading is being done at some Dahan venues in the city.
Even as Dussehra is expected to remain a low-key affair this year, various organising committees in the city are geared up for ‘Ravana Dahan’ on Sunday.
To avoid large gatherings, barricading is being done at some Dahan venues in the city. The members of some of these committees said that because installation of Ravana effigies can attract unnecessary crowd, the activity will be done no earlier than Sunday afternoon.
Member of Shri Ram Lila Committee in Daresi, Kamal Bassi said, “Preparations have been done and only two gates of the Daresi ground would be opened for the entry of VIPs and committee members. General public would not be allowed into the ground. Also, seating arrangement has been done as per social distancing norms. The ‘Dola Yatra’ of Lord Rama will also be carried out in the old city areas in the afternoon and volunteers would be deployed to restrict the gatherings on the occasion.”
Ravana Dahan is expected to take place in different areas of the city, including Daresi, Upkar Nagar, Dhandra, Sector 32, Rajguru Nagar and Aggar Nagar among others.
This year, several Dussehra committees decided against organising the traditional celebrations citing the contagion risk involved.
President of Upkar Nagar Dussehra committee, Channi Gill said that Ravana Dahan is going to be a low-key event this year as per the instructions issued by the administration due to the ongoing pandemic. “As managing the gathering is an uphill task, we have decided that the effigy of Ravana would be erected an hour before performing Dahan,” said Gill.
Some organisers have booked venues with boundaries to avoid huge gathering.
Shiv Bhola Dussehra Ramleela Committee president Varinder Kapoor said, “We used to organise Ravana Dahan at GLADA ground on Chandigarh Road, but this year the event will be held at a plot in Sector 32 area to avoid gathering. To be able to manage the crowd, we decided to shift the event to a site with a boundary.”
Daresi ground effigy tallest in city
Even as the height of Ravana effigies has been reduced this year, the 30-ft effigy being erected at Daresi ground will be the tallest in the city (within the MC limits). Across the district, the 45-feet effigy being installed in Jagraon, around 41.2km from the city, will be the tallest. The Dussehra committee organising Ravana Dahan in Daresi has reduced the height of the effigy from over 90 feet to 30 feet this year.
Live telecast of Ravana Dehan
As the general public is not allowed to gather at Ravana Dahan sites, the committee organising Ravana Dehan in Daresi has decided to telecast the effigy burning live through local cable operators.
PPCB fixes timing for bursting crackers
Complying with the directions of Punjab and Haryana high court, the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has fixed the timings to burst crackers on Dussehra from 5pm to 8pm. Action would be taken against the violators.
