Height Of Durga Idols: Odisha Govt To Decide On Restrictions In Cuttack In Two Days

Bhubaneswar: With the puja committees in Cuttack city sticking to their demand for withdrawal of the restrictions during Durga puja, the state government has decided to take a decision on the issue of the idol’s height in two days.

The decision was taken after a meeting between Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra and a delegation of the puja committees of Cuttack at the Lok Seva Bhawan, here in presence of Special Relief Commissioner (SRC) Pradeep Jena on Wednesday.

Talking to mediapersons after the meeting, former BJD MLA and secretary of Cuttack Mahanagar Puja Committee Pravat Tripathy said in order to resolve the row over the height of the Durga idol, the state government had invited some social activists and members of the Cuttack Mahanagar Shanti Committee, Cuttack Mahanagar Purvanchal Shanti Committee and Cuttack Puja Committees to the meeting.

“The Chief Secretary told the delegation that the government will take a decision on the height of the idols in two days after the Ganesh Puja,” Tripathy said.

Regarding the restrictions on the number of devotees at the puja mandaps, he said since the puja is more than a month away, the government will take a decision after reviewing the COVID-19 pandemic situation at that time and the delegation agreed to it.

It may be mentioned that the SRC in a guideline issued on August 9 had said the height of the Durga idols in puja mandaps will not be more than four feet and the devotees cannot throng the pandals for darshan of the Goddess while the rituals will be performed behind the curtains.

Protesting the guidelines, the puja committees and the local leaders had demanded withdrawal of the restrictions.

Extending support to the demand of the puja committees, the city unit of the BJP has given a bandh call in Cuttack on September 13.

Also Read: Cuttack Puja Committee Opposes SRC Guideline On Height Of Durga Idol