MARGAO: Superintendent of Police South A K Gawas on Saturday issued security advisory to all the 141 Sarvajanik Ganesh Mandals in South Goa on what to do at the venue, at the time of procession and also at the time of immersion.

The committees are advised to have CCTV camera surveillance with one camera facing the approach road with clear recording of the faces of persons and also vehicle number plates. Besides, they have been advised to employ security guards for round the clock duty and the police stations concerned should be informed about the people employed as security guards.

The organisers are also advised to have sufficient volunteers to maintain queue system to avoid rush and stampede and all such volunteers should be provided with ID cards. In addition, they have been asked to ensure adequate lighting arrangement to keep the pandal well illuminated and also asked to trim all the shrubbery and bushes around the pandal.

The entry and exit points have been asked to be kept to the minimum with ideally having only one entry point and one exit point and the entry point should be fitted with a Door Frame Metal Detector through which every person will have to compulsorily pass.

The police have also asked the organisers to provide for an emergency exit and also asked them to be watchful for any suspicious activity nearby and inform the police immediately if any such activity is observed. The parking should be away from the pandal and take all necessary permissions from PWD, electricity and fire and emergency service for safety of the pandal.

While asking them to make adequate fire fighting arrangements, the organisers are also advised to ensure that bursting of crackers and other fireworks is done away from the pandal. The organisers have also been advised to take permissions for use of loudspeakers, closure of roads from the concerned department.

At the time of processions, organisers are advised to avoid blocking vehicular traffic, avoid bursting crackers on the road when traffic is moving, avoid noise pollution by keeping the decibel level low, well illuminate the route of procession.

Besides asking them to have sufficient volunteers to regulate and control the participants, the organisers are also asked to avoid simultaneous procession by two or more committees.

At the time of immersion, the organisers are asked to identify the person who will immerse the idol and take a headcount after the immersion to ensure that all have returned from the water and also to avoid immersion during the late hours.

The highest number of sarvajanik Ganesh mandals is in Ponda which numbers 30. This is followed by Vasco which has 23 followed by Verna where there are 17 and then by Canacona where there are 16. Margao has 11 while Fatorda police station has 10.

Maina Curtorim and Colva have five each and Cuncolim has 3. There are 7 at Curchorem, 6 at Quepem, four at Sanguem, two at Mormugao and only 1 at Collem.