Community Pujas To Be Low Key Affair In Odisha’s Twin Cities This Year: Police Commissioner

Bhubaneswar: With a number of festivals ahead, the Twin City Police Commissionerate held the first round of discussion with two puja committees of Cuttack city on Friday.

Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Commissioner of Police Sudhansu Sarangi said it was broadly agreed at the meeting that Durga puja, Kali puja, Laxmi puja and Kartikeswar puja will be performed in a closed pandal on a low key manner amid strict adherence to the guidelines of COVID-19. Steps will be taken to ensure that there is no crowd or congregation of the people at the mandaps.

Sarangi said several rounds of discussion will be held on the issue in next 2-3 days. They will have a meeting with the representatives of puja committees of Bhubaneswar on Monday and elected representatives of political parties of Cuttack on Tuesday.

Whatever decisions will be taken at the meetings with consensus will be conveyed to the state government. Then the Commissionerate of Police will issue the detailed instructions on how to organise the community celebration of the festivals, Sarangi said.

However, he ruled out elaborate decoration and other paraphernalia during the puja. Besides, there will be no ‘Bhasani’ (immersion procession) this year, he said.