Dasara will be traditional, meaningful, unique: Somanna

District in-charge Minister V Somanna, on Saturday, said that ‘Naada Habba’ Dasara will be celebrated in a traditional, meaningful and unique manner.

The minister was addressing reporters after a Dasara preparatory meeting with people's representatives and officials, at the Deputy Commissioner’s office, here. He said that the government will take all people's representative into confidence to make the festival a success.

Dasara is a state festival and it will be celebrated in a traditional and religious way. Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa has sanctioned Rs 18.5 crore for the celebrations. “We will celebrate the festival in a meaningful manner without any lapses,” he assured.

Somanna said, "Sub-committees will be formed in two days and the preparatory works will commence immediately. I have directed the officials concerned to make all necessary arrangements for the celebration.”

This time, Dasara festival will be celebrated across the district and more importance will be given to rural Dasara. The festival will be celebrated at the gram panchayat, hobli and taluks centres, he added.

“I will personally visit all dignitaries and invite them for Dasara. I will seek their cooperation to make the festival a success,” Somanna said.

Invite to royal family

Somanna said that he will meet religious heads like pontiffs, Bishop, maulvis and invite them to participate in the festival. In addition, invitation will be extended to the members of erstwhile royal family of Mysuru. “We will request the family members to participate in all the events of Dasara,” Somanna said.

The minister said that he will convene a meeting of Mysuru Corporators and Zilla Panchayat members to get their suggestion. In addition, private organisations, associations and industrialists will be roped in for the celebration.

Somanna directed Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G Sankar to ensure adequate accommodation and transport facility to the people visiting Mysuru and also directed the police officials to install CCTV cameras at vantage and sensitive places.

Mahouts, kaavadis guests

Somanna said, "The caretakers of Dasara elephants are guests of the government. We need to take care of them. The authorities should provide them all facilities and ensure clean environment in their living area."

Somanna said that a special lunch will be organised for pourakarmikas of the city.

MP Pratap Simha, MLAs G T Devegowda, L Nagendra, Kollegal MLA N Mahesh, Mayor Pushpalatha Jagannath, Zilla Panchayat president Parimala Shyam, City Police Commissioner K T Balakrishna, ZP CEO K Jyothi, Superintendent of Police C B Rishyanth and Additional Deputy Commissioner B R Poornima were present.

Absentees

Although local MLAs were invited for the meeting, except BJP MLA L Nagendra and JD(S) MLA G T Devegowda, no others were present. Even BJP MLAs like S A Ramdas and B Harshavardhan were absent. Mysuru District has a total of 11 MLAs – three BJP, five JD(S), including A H Vishwanath, who has resigned, and three Congress MLAs.