Decision on Chhapar Mela pending, stalls already set up

Mahesh Sharma

Mandi Ahmedgarh, Sept 11

About a week before the scheduled commencement of Chhapar Mela, vendors have started setting up stalls at the venue of the famous rural fair, without receiving any permission from the administration.

Regional leaders of various political parties have also hired land for organising conferences of their respective parties, even as the Ludhiana administration is yet to declare whether large congregations or arrival of devotees would be allowed or not.

So much so that some farmers have already cut unripe paddy crop from their fields and rented their land for establishment of stalls.

However, organisers, including priests at the Guga Marhi, the venue of the event, said lakhs of devotees would be visiting the shrine to worship the snake, the embodiment of Guga Peer. According to them, regional leaders of various political parties and office-bearers of social and religious organisations had already started preparing for the mega event, scheduled to commence on September 18. As some cautious devotees, to avoid rush, have already started visiting the shrine to worship the snake, certain vendors and shopkeepers have started transacting business too.

Jatinder Sharma Happy Baba, chief patron, Sidh Sulakhan Sewa Society, said followers and volunteers of various social and religious organisations had started preparations for langar and other arrangements. “We have already started preparing for the langar, which will be run from September 18 to the conclusion of the fair,” the Baba said.

Jagdeep Sehgal, SDM Ludhiana (West), said the decision regarding organising the fair would be taken within a couple of days and enough arrangements would be made to prevent spread of Covid and ensure safety of visitors. “Nobody will be allowed to install stalls or transact business without taking permission from the administration and we will take affidavits from managers or owners of stalls that guidelines on prevention of spread of coronavirus would be followed in letter and spirit,” Sehgal added.