Puja organisers meet Thakur, want ‘impractical’ guidelines tweaked

Ranchi: As many as 100 puja committees affiliated to Ranchi Zila Durga Puja Samiti (RZDPS) here want the government-issued guidelines on bhog distribution, use of loudspeakers, installation of lights in and around the pandals and cap on the number of devotees inside the mandap and during immersion tweaked. Citing religious sentiments and their impracticality, the RZDPS members on Saturday submitted a memorandum to state water resources minister Mithilesh Thakur, seeking a few modifications to the guidelines.
Issued on October 2, the state government in its guidelines on Durga Puja banned the distribution of bhog, use of loudspeakers and installation of lights and allowed only seven people’s presence inside the pandal at a time and three during immersion.
Talking to TOI, RZDPS president Ashok Purohit said, “While we are ready to work hand-in-hand with the government when it comes to organising the puja in such a way that the virus spread is checked, we cannot compromise on things of sentimental value. For instance, bhog is an integral part of the puja ritual and after offering to the deity, it has to be distributed among the devotees. We have appealed to the government to allow bhog distribution in a restricted way. If required, we can also deliver it to the devotees’ homes by adhering to all the safety norms.”
He further said, “If allowed, we have assured the government of using the loudspeakers on low volume and as far as lighting is concerned, the government should allow it to be installed inside the pandal. And allowing only three people during immersion is impractical and needs to be changed.”
Thakur has reportedly assured them of all possible cooperation from the government’s end. “We are hopeful of getting a positive response from the government as the minister has assured us of all possible cooperation from their end. He even promised to take up the matter with the chief minister and others concerned to come up with a solution at the earliest,” RZDPS convenor Munchun Roy said.
Meanwhile, several police stations in the district on Saturday conducted peace committee meetings in their respective areas of jurisdiction with the local volunteers and members of the ward-level peace committees to chalk out modalities ahead of the puja.