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Ban on late night ‘melodies’ during Ganesh puja

CUTTACK: Turning down the request of about 300 city puja mandaps for late night cultural programmes, the district administration has reiterated that the Supreme Court’s directives on ‘sound pollution’ would be strictly adhered to during the ensuing Ganesh Puja. The administration has refused to extend the 10 p.m. deadline for organizing

melodies at the puja mandaps.

Ganesh puja in the city would be observed on September 15 and the immersion of the deities would be completed by October 5 in three phases. This year around 500 puja pandals would come up across the city to worship the elephant-headed God, official sources informed.

Thanks to directives of the Apex Court, the local administration has banned the use of loudspeakers at pandals beyond 10 p.m. thereby putting a ban on the late night melodies, which was an integral part of puja grandeur in Cuttack. Similarly, the administration asked the puja organizers to complete the immersion of deities on the specific dates by 10 p.m.

Stringent action would be taken against the violators, Superintendent of Police S K Priyadarshi warned after a puja preparatory meeting. Announcing several measures to ensure that the puja season ends peacefully, the local puja committees were asked to maintain status quo over the boundary disputes. Over 30 boundary disputes still continue in the city.

However, efforts are on by the administration and city peace committee to settle as many 15 cases before the Durga puja, says a district official. The millennium city over the years has witnessed pitched battles between the neighbouring localities over collection of puja subscriptions.

The SP has also asked the puja committees to maintain decency in idol making for the puja. “Those who dare to dishonour the gods will be taken to task", Priyadarshi said.

The High Court disapproved it while during an earlier observation asking the police to stop any such move by the puja committees.

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