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Now, melodies can go on up to midnight

CUTTACK: Much to the relief of puja revellers, the government has relaxed the ban on use of loudspeakers for five days in Cuttack city, paving way for late-night cultural programmes and nightlong immersion ceremony of Durga idols. Even as the four-day puja rituals began across the city with ‘Mahasaptami’ puja on Thursday, the district administration announced that the musical programmes, including melodies, could now continue till midnight.

“The State Forest and Environment Department has approved the district administration’s proposal to allow five-day relaxation on the use of loudspeakers in Cuttack from October 18 to 22,” said district Deputy Collector Aditya Mohapatra. In view of the festive spirit, the cultural programmes, including melodies by different puja committees, were now allowed to continue till midnight, he said

The administration had earlier announced that the Supreme Court’s guidelines and the State High Court’s order for the 10 p.m. deadline on use of loudspeakers would be strictly followed during Dussehra. The Supreme Court, however, clarified that that Section 5 (3) of the Noise Pollution Control (Regulations) Rules empowered the government to relax the ban on loudspeakers for two hours for any 15 days in a year. Accordingly, the government relaxed the ban for five days, Mr. Mohapatra added. Meanwhile, the four-day rituals began amid beating of drums, bells, blowing of ‘kahalis’ and chanting of ‘Ya Devi Sarbavuteshu’ in about 70 pandals across the city. In the rural pockets of the district, at least 329 mandaps also began puja amid fervour.

Thousands of devotees thronged various mandaps since morning to perform puja. The Chandi Mandir, the sitting deity of the city, was decorated in Maha Kali attire. However, a heavy rain for about an hour in the evening dampened the spirit.

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