Dr. Rakesh Minhas reviews Diwali preparedness, stresses on safe and seamless celebrations
JAMMU: Deputy Commissioner Jammu, Dr. Rakesh Minhas, on Thursday chaired a meeting to review the district’s preparedness for the upcoming Diwali festival, emphasizing the need for safe, smooth, and well-coordinated celebrations.
While reviewing arrangements across various departments, Dr. Minhas said the district administration must ensure public safety and security while also facilitating an enjoyable festive environment. “Our efforts should strike a balance — ensuring people celebrate freely without compromising safety,” he stated.
He directed all departments to work in close coordination to maintain public confidence and minimize risks during the festive period.
The Deputy Commissioner informed that the collection of licence fees for cracker and fireworks stalls will be conducted exclusively through online mode to ensure transparency and accountability. “Permissions for retail cracker stalls will be issued on a first-come, first-serve basis after scrutiny by a specially constituted committee and processed through a single-window system at the DC office,” he added.
The committee, headed by the Additional Deputy Commissioner and comprising DC North (JMC) as Member Secretary along with other district officers, will ensure due diligence and transparency. It will also review and revise stall permission fees to align with prevailing market conditions.
The meeting also discussed critical aspects such as emergency medical and fire services, availability of essential commodities, traffic and crowd management, and readiness of emergency response teams for rapid deployment.
Among those present were SSP Jammu Joginder Singh, SSP Traffic Farooq Qaiser, ADC Ansuya Jamwal, SDMs, and other senior district officers.
