Security scares put police on the edge - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Security scares put police on the edge - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Free bus services taking pilgrims of Maha Pushkaram to ghats on the outskirts of Kovvur in West Godavari on Thursday.— Photo: K.R. Deepak

The police establishment monitoring the Pushkaram control room in Rajahmundry got into a tizzy over a series of security scares on Thursday.

Already nervous, police nerves got further frazzled after the discovery of a revolver at a bathing ghat ahead of a visit to the area by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, a suicide attempt by a home guard, and rumours of a policeman opening fire at a bathing ghat.

Police wireless sets began to crackle early in the morning after a fisherman trying to retrieve coins thrown into the Godavari by pilgrims found a cloth bag with a revolver in it. This discovery, at the Dandakunta Revu (ghat) in Kovvur, 2 km from Goshpada Revu, which the Chief Minister was due to visit an hour later, made the police scurry to the area.

West Godavari SP Bhaskar Bhushan told mediapersons that it was of a crude make but an investigation would be carried out to ascertain its owner besides determining how it found its way to the ghats past the security ring.

The news spread like wild fire, to which rumours rising from the bathing ghats added more fuel. Rajahmundry, the main Pushkaram city, was agog with rumours that a constable had opened fire at the Pushkar Ghat, the very place where a stampede killed 28 people on Tuesday.

Police communications lines buzzed with inquiries and instructions for hours after about the incident, which turned out to be a rumour. Asked about the ‘shooting’, a police officer on duty at the ghat said the rumour probably began with a scroll run by a TV news channel.

Copter ride gives a bird’s eyeview - TELANGANA - The Hindu

The Rs. 1,999 for a 10-minute copter ride has become popular among the pilgrims visiting the pushkaralu in Rajahmundry

Copter ride gives a bird’s eyeview

• B.V.S. BHASKAR
• RAJANAGARAM (EAST GODAVARI), July 17, 2015
• 
  

Appala Naidu (56) is a daily wage-earner from Palasa in Srikakulam district. He had but one dream: to fly. He came to Rajahmundry for the Godavari Maha Pushkaram with Rs. 7,000 in his pocket, his entire savings from a life of labour. Little did he know that the Pushkaram will make his dream come true at long last. During his trips to the bathing ghats, he chanced upon a notice board advertising Pawan Hans’ helicopter joyrides over the river. The ride costs a pretty penny for a daily wager like him: Rs. 1999 for a 10-minute flight.

He jumped at it. “I thoroughly enjoyed myself. This is enough for my life,” he exulted as he got off the bird on Thursday.

Mr. Naidu was one of the 108 people who signed up the joyride in Pawan Hans’s six-seater helicopter, which started its operations on Wednesday. On the very second day, the helicopter rides have proved popular with the pilgrims who, after having performed their rituals, are looking for some excitement. There were 110 bookings till afternoon on Wednesday and the number was expected to go up to 180 by evening.

Mr. Maneesh Rokade, deputy general manager of Pawan Hans, said the response has been good on day one and two. The copter service has permission to to operate up to three choppers depending on the number of riders. Until the number reaches 200 Pawan Hans will operate just one chopper. The ride starts from the GIET Engineering College in Rajanagaram, which is about 14 km from Rajahmundry. The APSRTC has arranged buses to take pilgrims to Rajanagaram.

Collector’s report points to police failure, crowd buildup - Today's Paper - The Hindu

Collector’s report points to police failure, crowd buildup - Today's Paper - The Hi

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• M.L. MELLY MAITREYI
• B.V.S. BHASKAR

A preliminary report on Tuesday’s stampede at Pushkar Ghat in Rajahmundry by East Godavari collector H. Arun Kumar has put the blame for the tragedy at the doorstep of the police and pointed to the massing of people at the gates of the ghat while VVIPs conducted their rituals as one of the contributory reasons.

Twenty-seven people were killed on the first day of the Godavari Maha Pushkaram when pilgrims held up at the gates swelled to uncontrollable numbers and, when released, rushed out in a surge in which many women and children got trodden.

The collector’s report, requisitioned by the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), was sent to Chief Secretary I.Y.R. Krishna Rao on Thursday.

The report will be first shown to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, who is still in Rajahmundry, before forwarding it to the Centre. The collector may be asked to give a revised report if any important aspects and details were left out, sources said.

The Ministry of Home Affairs had sought a report on the stampede and sought to know the cause and the exact toll. The report, a copy of which is available with The Hindu states that, “Heavy influx of pilgrims started increasing as time passed, (and) by about 8.30 am crowd from all directions started breaching the barricades set up for crowd management and attempted to move in various directions.

“The police and security personnel couldn’t control this flow in front of the Pushkar Ghat, where the crowd from all directions had gathered. It resulted in a stampede at approximately 27 pilgrims were declared as ‘brought dead’ at the general hospital, Rajahmundry.”

Loopholes in crowd management fixed: Naidu - Today's Paper - The Hindu

Loopholes in crowd management fixed: Naidu - Today's Paper - The Hindu

Loopholes in crowd management fixed: Naidu

B.V.S. BHASKAR

A day after a stampede at the gates of the Pushkar Ghat in Rajahmundry, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said all loopholes in crowd management at the Godavari Maha Pushkaram had been addressed to make it safe and secure for all pilgrims.

In an informal interaction with The Hindu on Wednesday, after he had conducted a midnight review of systems at the ghats, Mr. Naidu said, “From Wednesday, I will sit in the Central Control Room and monitor the situation myself to ensure that pilgrims are redirected from crowded ghat to less crowded ones.

“I have asked Director General of Police J.V. Ramudu to camp here along with me to effect dynamic changes to plans as exigencies arise. We will also deploy more security forces to manage the crowd through effective barricading.”

He said a comprehensive analysis of Tuesday’s horror had been done and solutions would be put into effect immediately.

A detailed enquiry has been ordered into all aspects of the case.

Did not delay rituals: Naidu - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Did not delay rituals: Naidu - ANDHRA PRADESH - The Hindu

Did not delay rituals: Naidu

B.V.S. BHASKAR

Reacting to the criticism by Opposition parties there was a pilgrim build-up behind the gates of Pushkar Ghat on the morning of Tuesday while VIPs took inordinately long to performed their rituals, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu said he and his family completed the rituals soon after the beginning of the Pushkaram, as per the auspicious time fixed by the pandits. What led to the stampede was a sudden and unanticipated surge of pilgrims from three directions, particularly from Godavari railway station side, which led to a crush at the gates.

However, a detailed enquiry has been ordered into all aspects of the case and a preliminary report has already been submitted based upon which action has been initiated.

Asked why he had opted for the Pushkara Ghat and not the Saraswati Ghat, which was exclusively constructed for VIPs, Mr Naidu said the decision was taken much earlier and it was decided to reserve the VIP Ghat for saints, sadhus and peethadhipatis who tend to come with large entourages. Mr Naidu said the exigency plan made immediately after Tuesday’s incident would address issues from a wide perspective, including traffic inflow into Rajahmundry from the national highways, dispersal of pilgrims to dozens of ghats all along the Godavari and increasing the number of entry and exit points at each ghat.

Asked whether action would be initiated against officials responsible for Tuesday’s failure, the chief minister said, “I don’t want to be rushed into immediate action, because I want the Pushkaram works to go on normally. After the Pushkarams we will examine the whole issue.”

Naidu launches ‘Godavari harathi’ - The Hindu

Naidu launches ‘Godavari harathi’ - The Hindu

Naidu launches ‘Godavari harathi’

• B.V.S. BHASKAR
• Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu launched Godavari Nitya Harathi at Pushkar Ghat here on Wednesday. Speaking on the occasion Mr. Naidu said this was a curtain raiser for the forthcoming Godavari Pushkarams-2015.
  Mr. Naidu, who airdashed from Renigunta to Madhurapudi, reached the Pushkara Ghat where a specially decorated stage was arranged on two floating decks in the river. Mr. Naidu, who came in traditional dress, first offered pooja to goddess Godavari matha. Deputy Chief Minister N. Chinna Rajappa, Finance Minister Yanamala Ramakrishnudu, Endowments Minister Pydikondala Manikyala Rao, Ministers P. Narayana, Peethala Sujatha and Chief Secretary IYR Krishna Rao, Media advisor Parakala Prabhakar were present.
  The Chief Minister said Godavari Harathi was going to be a regular event and importance of river Godavari will be spread through this event to rest of the world. He said Godavari Harati would be conducted in a unique way better than the Ganga Harati being performed at Varanasi.
  Stating that Godavari was the lifeline of the State, Mr. Naidu said the river was meeting drinking and irrigation needs of the Godavari region. “It is essential to use the river water for agriculture, irrigation, industry and drinking purposes. I want to utilise 3,000 tmc of Godavari water which is going waste into sea in other drought prone areas through lift irrigation schemes besidescompleting the Polavaram project,” he said
  Mr. Naidu said people of twin Godavari districts were known as good hosts and asked them to host lakhs of people who will be coming for Godavari Pushkarams. At the end of the event, Budhavarapu Charitable Trustconducted 12 types of Harathi.