HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Sept 28: The Cachar district administration, like the rest of the state, is gearing up for a seamless and trouble-free Durga Puja festival. In this regard, a meeting was convened at the conference hall of the District Commissioner’s Office concerning the upcoming Durga Puja festival. Representatives from all the puja committees and various line departments were present at the meeting.
The meeting was chaired by district commissioner Rohan Kumar Jha. After welcoming all the attendees, district development commissioner (DDC) Rajib Roy explained the purpose of the meeting and expressed hope that the forthcoming Durga Puja festival would be celebrated peacefully and harmoniously.
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District commissioner Rohan Kumar Jha addressed the meeting, urging all organising committees to celebrate the puja festival in an eco-friendly manner while adhering to pollution control guidelines. He requested that all organisers and committees submit their applications for puja permissions to the Magistracy Branch, DC’s Office, Cachar, by October 8, 2023. DC Jha stated that no applications would be accepted after this deadline.
DC Jha also requested the puja committees to obtain permission and a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the competent authorities. He mentioned that pandal and gate construction should not obstruct roads. If such constructions have already been undertaken, the concerned puja committees should remove them immediately.
During the discussion, it was said that puja committees should seek necessary permissions and fitness certificates from departments such as PWD Roads, NH, Building, and SMB. For temporary electric connections, permission should be obtained from APDCL, and an NOC should be acquired from the fire brigade. The use of loudspeakers should adhere to rules and regulations, following pollution control guidelines and a Supreme Court order. The use of loudspeakers is prohibited between 10 pm and 6 am, and noise levels should not exceed 65 decibels.
Information regarding procession routes and timing for idol immersion should be provided to the police well in advance, and immersion should be completed by October 25. Idol immersion is scheduled for October 24 and 25.
Additionally, APDCL will issue temporary certificates for electric connections to committees with permissions from the competent authorities. DDC Roy stressed the importance of installing CCTV cameras at all puja pandals and deploying volunteers at entrances to ensure a smooth flow of people. Separate lines for men and women should be designated with proper signage displayed at entrances.
Superintendent of police Numal Mahatta assured that the law-and-order situation is under control, and a foolproof security plan will soon be devised. He urged puja committees to provide the names and contact numbers of all committee members and volunteers in advance. He also stated the need for fire extinguishers and sand at pandals in case of emergencies and requested peaceful processions that do not disturb others.
The executive engineer of PWD Roads mentioned that some pandals in Silchar had been constructed in a way that caused roadblocks, potentially leading to traffic congestion.
DDC Rajib Roy urged all concerned departments to expedite the issuance of necessary permissions to puja committees as early as possible. He warned that strict action would be taken against any puja committees found using unauthorised electric connections without proper permission from APDCL.
DDC Rajib Roy also suggested the use of cotton and eco-friendly biodegradable materials. He recommended the use of banana leaves for serving food during the puja. Roy also discussed solid and liquid waste management, advocating for two separate bins with red and green colours, along with written disposal instructions, in every puja pandal. The Solid and Municipal Board (SMB) workers would transport the waste to disposal centres.
The meeting was attended by additional superintendent of police Subrata Sen and all the circle officers of the district.
