3-Day Aghar Jitto Mela scheduled from June 10

DDC Reasi finalises arrangements for annual event; Listens to public grievances, assures quality redressal
Reasi: District Development Commissioner Reasi, Nidhi Malik on Wednesday chaired a meeting at Aghar Jitto- Block Katra to review and finalize preparations for the 3-Day Aghar Jitto Mela, scheduled to be held from June 10 to June 12, 2025.
The DDC also convened a public grievances redressal camp and listened to people’s issues and resolved many issues of public importance on the spot.
The meeting focused on critical aspects such as sanitation, drinking water, electricity, medical aid, security, traffic management, and accommodation for pilgrims. DDC Reasi emphasized inter-departmental coordination and directed all concerned departments to ensure timely completion of preparatory tasks.SDM Katra Piyush Dhotra has been designated as the Mela Officer.
The DDC instructed Departments of Agriculture, Horticulture, Social welfare, PDD PM Surya to put up their stalls to provide different services and disseminate information about respective schemes to provide on spot benefits to the visiting public. The Health Department was asked to deploy sufficient medical teams along with ambulances for emergency response, while the Police Department was tasked to ensure foolproof security and smooth traffic flow during the festivities.
The EO MC Katra was asked to take measures for maintaining proper sanitation and install mobile toilets. The Fire and Emergency Services Department was asked to station fire tenders at the venue. Additionally, the XENs of PHE and PDD were directed to ensure adequate water and power supply throughout the mela.
She also gave instructions to the Legal Metrology Department and Food Safety Department to conduct market inspections to keep tab on rates, quality and hygiene of food items being sold during the Mela. The Tourism department was asked to start publicity campaign to attract maximum footfall during the Mela.
The DDC appealed to local residents and volunteers to extend their support to the administration in maintaining cleanliness, discipline, and ensuring the successful conduct of the Mela.
ADC Rakesh Kumar, CPO Narinder Kumar, CEO, XEN PDD, DIO (info) and representatives of local religious organizations attended the meeting.
Earlier, chairing the grievance redressal camp in the area, the DDC took stock of people’s issues and had a detailed interaction with the local residents regarding their issues and grievances in presence of District Development Council member Katra, former Sarpanches and Panches
. The initiative was widely appreciated by the community, who commended the district administration for reaching out and addressing issues at the grassroots level.
The residents projected several demands seeking augmentation of water supply, irrigation facility, renovation and expansion of road connectivity, improvement of Power Supply Scenario PDD, adequate staff in schools and effective implementation of Rural Development.
The DC issued on-the-spot directions to the concerned district officers to take necessary action. She emphasized the importance of timely resolution and asked each department to submit an Action Taken Report to her office for monitoring and follow-up.
The DC gave Specific instructions to the XEN PDD to ensure proper installation of electric poles and wiring for the safety and benefit of the residents. The DC also asked for a thorough gap assessment to address the problem of low voltage in the area.
The CEO was asked to take immediate steps to ensure adequate teaching staff availability in schools and emphasized close monitoring. She also instructed the officer to pursue the introduction of additional academic streams, such as commerce, as per public demand.
Addressing water-related concerns, the XEN PHE was instructed to ensure uninterrupted water supply during the summer season. The officer was also directed to fast-track pending irrigation projects by coordinating with contractors to ensure timely delivery, thereby benefiting the farming community.
The DC reassured the public that all grievances raised during the camp would be addressed promptly and efficiently. She reiterated her commitment to transparent governance and instructed all departments to ensure swift action and timely submission of reports.