Tight security planned for Baba's b'day

[Guest guest]

Tight security planned for Baba’s b’daySaturday August 27 2005 16:09 IST

ANANTAPUR: The police are making arrangements to provide security on the

international level at Puttaparti, on the occasion of 80th birthday

celebrations of Sri Satya Saibaba on November 23.The district police had

already been engaged in the task of providing security to the global conference

and world delegates who attend the conference at Puttaparti. Chief Minister YS

Rajasekhara Reddy held talks twice with the district superintendent of police

and the collector recently.Lakhs of devotees are expected to attend

Saibaba’s birthday celebrations. Even Saibaba expressed willingness to

celebrate the occasion on a grand scale. Saibaba himself made two sorties round

Puttaparti twice like never before, including Friday. The district

administration too went into top gear to secure all the facilities to all VIPs

and devotees who visit Puttaparti on the occasion. They should not face any

inconvenience, the administration says.Special parking places for vehicles of

VIPs and VVIPs are being identified as the first step.Since Puttaparti is under

terrorists’ hit-list, the Government is leaving no stone unturned to plug

all security loopholes. Automatic signalling system, five check-posts for

inspection of vehicles, close-up circuit cameras and survey lens cameras would

be installed. All these would be connected to the control room.The police would

also keep an eye on the eve-teasers and thieves who earlier used to harass

foreign women. Police teams in mufti and mobile crime detection squads would be

deployed. Even the Central security forces would be summoned to make

Baba’s birthday celebrations incident-free. The district administration

plans to take the help of Satya Sai Trust, NGOs and Home Guards towards this

end. But the security measures may cost a few lakhs and the district

administration sent a report to the State Government. The Government had

already sanctioned Rs 9 crore for roads in Puttaparti. The birthday

celebrations have become a big challenge to the district machinery.

source :

http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IEA20050827054826&Page=A&Title=Southern+News+-+Andhra+Pradesh&Topic=0