Durga Puja to be low key affair in Cachar; restriction on ‘anjali’, ‘prasad’ distribution discussed

Sept.9: The upcoming Durga Puja festivity will be a low key affair in Cachar district in view of the COVID-19 pandemic situation. The district administration convened a meeting with the representatives of different puja organising committees at the conference hall of Deputy Commissioner here on Tuesday.

Presiding over the meeting, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Rajib Roy explained the objective of the meeting and sought the views and opinions of various Durga Puja organising committees as how to go about in celebrating the festival amid the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

Taking part in the discussion, the representatives of different Durga Puja organising committees aired their opinions in one voice on celebrating the ensuing Durga Puja festivity in a simple way with minimal decoration or illumination of the pandals. They requested the district administration to set a time limit for immersion of idols to avoid gathering.

The administration urged the puja committees to avoid distribution of ‘prasad’ and to minimise the size of idols for hassle-free immersion with less involvement of people. Some of the puja committees made an appeal for restriction on movement of two wheelers during the festive period.

It was agreed that the rituals and ‘anjali’ should be held in the pandals in presence of a few persons comprising the organisers and priest with strict adherence to social distancing norms. Some of the puja committees requested for putting restriction on the use of loud speakers and segregation of the immersion ghats etc.

The Additional Deputy Commissioner (Health) and the Executive Officer, Silchar Municipal Board cautioned that if the guidelines relating to COVID-19 protocols are not complied with during Durga Puja celebrations, the highly contagious disease may spread rapidly after the festival and then the situation may worsen and spin out of control.

The Additional Superintendent of Police made a plea to all the puja committees to perform the rituals without much ado in view of the present pandemic situation. He also opined that the idols should be smaller in size so that minimum persons would be required during immersion. The Executive Engineer, PWD NH Division has suggested that huge gatherings over Sadarghat bridge during Mahalaya should be restricted in view of the pandemic situation.