Sanitation of Fairs and Festivals

Sanitation of Fairs and Festivals


The maintenance of sanitation of fairs (melas) and religious festivals in India is very important and is a complicated task. During bathing festival people congregate by thousands along the banks of sacred rivers, which afford sufficient opportunity for pollution of Water and spread of diseases.

Secondly, pilgrims reach the place half starved, not used to any discipline and are also not in a mood to co-operate with the health authorities. This results in low resistance and increased spread of infection. Congregation of people in the melas is responsible for spread of diseases by the contamination of food and water.


How to carry out these measures

Since different fairs vary greatly in size and character, it is not possible to formulate fixed rules which apply to all places under all conditions. So sanitary measures called for must depend upon the local condition.

1.Some persons or a body should be held responsible for the organization and control of fairs or melas.

2.The number of people (approximately) likely to be present in the melas is taken into account.

3.A plan of works should be prepared.

4.The area of the mela should be divided into isolated plots and each such plot placed in charge of one or more sanitary officers who should see that latrines are kept clean, that the lodging houses are free from sickness and kept in proper order.

5.The number of carts, sweepers, scavengers and inspectors necessary should be calculated beforehand on the basis of the number of people attending the mela.

6.All lodging houses should be registered, and a fixed number of lodgers should be accommodated.

7.Rules should be drawn up for the number of persons accommodated, cleanliness of the premises, protection of water supply, for both the staff and pilgrims. This should be enforced

Majority of people attending the pilgrim centres travel by train. It is necessary that proper medical arrangements should be made by the railway authorities and there should be arrangement for medical inspection in important stations, so that patients suffering from infectious diseases may be removed without delay. The Public Health Authorities of adjoining states and Railway Health Authorities should meet before the fair and draw up a scheme for concerted action.

Advantages of getting the pilgrims vaccinated and inoculated should be borne in mind. A preliminary work should be done by drawing up a regular plan of work previously by constituting a responsible mela commit­tee. Long before the opening of the mela, the pilgrims should be advised by posters and news paper advertisements.

The objects of mela sanitation are to maintain good sanitation of the mela ground to protect the health of the people coming to the mela. This is also possible by making satisfactory sanitary arrangements in the mela and also protecting the health of the people who came for the trade. It is better if the people are inoculated one week before they come to the mela ground. The expected number of pilgrims may be obtained from the previous years' records.

Requirements for Mela Sanitation

A. BEFORE THE MELA STARTS:

1. Size -If it is a permanent place of pilgrimage like Tarakeswar or Hardwar, where there are permanent inhabitants, extra space for the additional people has to be found out. Mela site should be leveled and cleansed. The area should be planned for roads, shops and temporary sheds for the accommodation of the people. The whole area should be lighted during night. There should be good should be lighted during night. There should be good approach road.

2. Accommodation -Temporary sheds to be constructed
3. Water supply -Piped water from the reservoirs with taps or tube wells.
4. Food supply -Shops with whole-some food should be started.
5. Temporary latrines -One seat for 1000 people and trenching for the disposal.
6. Health office -A.D.H.S., D.H.O. should be staying in the mela area.
7. Temporary hospital -For infectious diseases in particular.
8. Police station -Law and order to be maintained by the Police.
9. Publicity office -to inform people about the arrangements made so that they may avail them
10. Appointment of sweepers -1 for 1000 people coming.



B. DURING THE MELA:

1. Supply of protected water -regular disinfection of water source.
2. Maintaining cleanliness of the mela ground by scavengers.
3. Disposal of refuse and human excreta.
4. Immunization of the people -Protection of the shop-keepers.
5. First aid centres in the different zones of the mela ground.
6. Isolation and treatment of the sick in the hospital.
7. Law and order -Watch over the anti-social elements.
8. Encourage people to leave the mela area as soon as possible.


C. AFTER THE MELA IS OVER:

1. Cleaning the area –particularly in a permanent place of pilgrimage by disposal of refuse of all types.
2. Transfer of the sick: if any to the nearest hospital for complete treatment.

The following points should particularly be attended before the mela starts :

1. Accommodation:
After selection of the site the whole area should be cleared of jungles and vegetations and divided into plots. Each plot should be kept under the supervision of a Sanitary Inspector with a conservancy squad who will be responsible for all sanitary measures for that area. There must be a provision of police patrol to enforce all sanitary measures in general. The place should be carefully marked out and provision should be made for the accommodation of police. Hospital, water-supply, residential blocks and latrines.
All shallow depressions and pools should be filled up or fenced in, so that people cannot use them.

2. Medical and Sanitary Arrangements
Every fair shall be under the charge of the Medical Officer of Health. Each block should be placed under the charge of a Sanitary Inspector who will inspect daily the area under him and report the occurrence of any suspicious case of illness. Arrangements must also be made for receiving daily report from sweepers in charge of latrines. Any infectious case should at once be removed to the temporary hospital thus isolating the patients. The first aid treatment centres should be opened in different sections of mela with out-doors treatment centre and medical inspection room. Anti-cholera and smallpox vaccination should be given to the pilgrims and shop-keepers.

3. Water supply:
Deep tube-well should be sunk. This should be considered as ideal for the absence of filtered water-supply. Existing tanks and wells, if any, should be treated with bleaching powder daily and new wells must be dug. All well water should be disinfected with bleaching powder before opening of mela. If there are existing tanks, a few should be reserved for supply of drinking water.
The problem of water-supply should be made easier. By arranging big galvanized iron tanks (400 gallons) with taps at selected places irregularly filled with purified water in different sections of the mela by pipes. Water-supply in regard to Mela Sanitation is very important. Since pilgrims are commonly affected by water-borne diseases like cholera and dysentery.

4. Conservancy:
Trench latrine, measuring 40" x 12" x 18" deep should be dug -one seat for every 1000 persons, with partitions made of bamboo. After evacuation of stool it is to be covered by the user with the excavated earth. A trench can have 12 seats in a row with bamboo partitions. Mobile screens to be placed in front of and behind the trench. Disinfectants like bleaching powder should be given on the sides. One sweeper for every 1000 persons should be appointed.

5. Food Supply
Arrangement should be made for supply of pure and wholesome food at, a reasonable price. Sanitary Inspectors should examine the milk, fish and other foods and see that these are kept clean. All prepared foods should be kept covered.

6. Publicity and Propaganda:

This should be done in the mela grounds by loud speakers, shows on picture, posters etc., advising the pilgrims to follow hygienic principles. Pilgrims should also be advised by posters, news appears and advertisements about necessity of taking of precautionary and preventive measures long before the opening of mela.

7. Lighting arrangements during night are also necessary.