GAYA: Chief minister Nitish Kumar on Friday held a review meeting on Pitrapaksha Mela arrangements at the Gaya collectorate and directed the officials to work as a team to provide quality service to the visitors.The chief minister also unveiled two statues of former politicians both of whom were associated with the once powerful socialist movement of the state. While the main statue unveiled near the entrance of the divisional commissioner’s office is that of late Jagdeo Prasad, the other statue is that of Upendra Nath Verma.Both Prasad and Verma belonged to the same Dangi sub-caste of the koeris. Located a few meters apart, the two statues are divided by the Dak Bungalow road. Whereas, Jagdeo Prasad's statue has been placed at a central point, that of Verma is located at a relatively obscure point on the north-west corner of Dighi tank.Before unveiling the statues, he offered prayers at the Vishnupad Temple and inspected Dev Ghat, one of the most important vedis (altars) of ‘pindadaan’ ritual. At Dev Ghat, the CM directed the district officials and officials of the Gaya Municipal Corporation to maintain high level of cleanliness and hygiene during the Pitrapaksha Mela area and ensure hassle- free stay and ritual performance of the visiting pilgrims. About a quarter million Hindu pilgrims are expected to visit Gaya during the fortnight-long Mela.According to district magistrate Abhishekh Singh, the CM was apparently satisfied with the arrangements and his instructions would be executed both in letter and spirit. Chief secretary Deepak Kumar, DGP KS Dwivedi, principal secretary, home, Aamir Subhani, revenue department principal secretary Brajesh Mehrotra, urban development department principal secretary Chaitanya Prasad, transport department secretary Sanjay Agrawal, IG (zonal) Naiyyar Hasnain Khan and other senior officials were present at the review meet.Earlier, the district officials decided to outsource sanitation job in the Mela area as the performance of the Gaya Municipal Corporation and Lodging House Committee, the two agencies responsible for maintaining cleanliness were found to be less than satisfactory. Two special plants have also been established for garbage processing and its conversion in compost.The district administration has also developed a special app for the benefit of the pilgrims. The app contains all relevant information concerning the event, including details about the priests, vedis, hotels, guest houses, local transport and medical facility.

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