City Police Commissioner Anurag Sharma on Wednesday said that Ganesh idols can be installed in public places in various localities of the City, only after obtaining prior Police Clearance in writing from the concerned Divisional Assistant Commissioners of Police. Separate Police Clearance will have to be sought for each Ganesh idol to be installed.
The Ganesh Festival this year will commence from September 9 with the installation of Idols and conclude on September 18 with the final immersion procession. This calls for several regulatory measures to maintain peace, tranquility and public order, the Commissioner said.
Application forms for Ganesh idol installation and processions will be available at all the Police Stations of the city from August 23th to 26th.. Persons/Organizers desirous of installing Ganesh idols in public places and also taking out procession for immersion may submit application forms at the Police Stations concerned on or before August 29.
The Commissioner said that the application forms seeking Police Clearance to install Ganesh idols would have to be handed over at the respective Police Stations, clearly indicating the place and the date of the proposed installation, as also date, time, route and the destination of the proposed immersion procession.
The Organizers seeking Police Clearance for installation should furnish a “No Objection Certificate” from the owner of the premises or land, irrespective of the fact whether it is Private or Government land. Installation will be permitted only at places where it will not cause obstruction to free flow of traffic and where there is no threat to public peace and order.
Further, no unauthorized electricity connection at Pandals will be allowed. It shall be incumbent on the part of the organizers to apply for supply of electricity to the A.P.C.P.D.C.L., and obtain Police Clearance in this regard) Certificate from the A.P.C.P.D.C.L. that the electricity connection is authorized and the same should be enclosed with the application form.
The use of loudspeakers will be restricted to Box Type only and Police Clearance will have to be taken both by the organizers who hire the equipment and the dealers/company supplying the equipment. The noise levels should be kept within the permissible limits. A loud speaker or a public address system shall not be used during the nights between 10.00 pm and 6.00 am, as per the directions of Hon’ble Supreme Court of India.
The organizers must provide volunteers with suitable identity cards/badges and use them for maintaining queues and order at the time of worship in various Ganesh Mandaps and to guard the idols and pandal. The guarding of idols and the precautionary measures with reference to lighting of lamps and “aarthi” will be the sole responsibility of the organizers.
The organisers desirous of taking out procession for immersion of the idols will apply individually to the ACsP through the Station House Officers concerned mentioning the date, time and route for the said procession and obtain Police Clearance before hand.
The Commissioner said that all the applications duly filled in and enclosing all the relevant certificates must be handed over at the respective Police Stations by August 29 and a receipt obtained. Applications received later are liable to be rejected. The Station House Officers and Divisional Asst. Commissioners of Police will hold meetings with the organizers in each P.S. area and finalise the arrangements for issue of Police Clearance, before the commencement of the festival. The organizers will have to strictly adhere to the conditions, routes and timings indicated in the Police Clearance to instal the Ganesh idols.