Karnataka gears up for Dasara 2010

Preparations for the 2010 edition of Dasara celebrations will take off with chief minister B S Yeddyurappa presiding over the high-power committee meeting in Mysore on August 12.

District in-charge minister S Suresh Kumar impressed on the officials on the need to hold the Dasara on a bigger scale than last year and utilise the celebrations as a medium for all-round development of the state.

In view of his announcement to leave the decisions on the preparations to the high-power committee, the take off of arrangements for the State’s prestigious celebrations will be delayed by another about a fortnight. Officials have to wait till the outcome of the August 12 meeting.

The minister explained reasons for the delay in convening Dasara releated meeting and said a meeting convened on May 17 had to be deferred as the election code of conduct came into force.

He made it clear the meeting he was presiding over was not a preliminary meeting for Dasara preparations. He was only getting briefed of the way the celebrations were conducted last year.

Suresh Kumar underlined the need to orient the police, auto and taxi drivers on how to behave with the visiting tourists and public during the celebrations.

However, suggestions were made at the meeting on improving the arrangements during the celebrations. Suggestions included checking any nuisance at the ‘food mela’ venue if it rained, avoiding a two-hour delay in the march of howdah elephants after the procession’s inauguration, nomination of non-official members to sub-committees, selection of artistes for cultural programmes in advance, giving a greater importance for traditional programmes, fewer sub-committees, appointment of Dasara special officer and bursting firecrackers away from the Banni Mantap parade grounds.