KOLKATA 19 OCT: The Calcutta High Court ruled out entry to visitors inside all the 35,000 Durga Puja pandals this year on Monday. The court directed all the puja pandals to be declared containment zones. Durga Puja celebrations are all set to begin on October 22. Only organisers would be allowed inside the puja pandals. The court limited the number of organisers to 25 for the bigger pandals and 15 for the smaller ones.
The court also instructed that the names of all organisers allowed inside the pandals to be put up on display outside the pandals.
The court order comes at a time when the city was gearing up for the 5-day long festival with much fervour and enthusiasm.
While the court’s landmark decision has been hugely appreciated by the CPI(M), the pandal organisers do not seem so appreciative. The organisers claimed that they had incurred huge expenses with the court’s change in the infrastructural plan.
The court also said that barricades need to be built at the pandal’s entrances. The distance to be maintained for the smaller pandals is five metres. It’s 10 metres for the bigger ones. There should also be big signboards at the entry points to indicate that the pandals are no entry zones for the visitors.
The Director-General of Police and the Kolkata Police Commissioner have been clearly asked to submit a status report on the same. The status report is supposed to indicate whether the court’s decision was followed during the Durga Puja. The deadline for this report submission is after the Lakshmi Puja.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- On Monday, Calcutta HC denied entry to visitors inside Durga Puja pandals this year
- All 35,000 Durga Puja pandals now turn into ‘no entry’ zones for visitors
- All puja pandals to be declared containment zones, keeping in mind the pandemic
- Only puja organisers to be allowed inside the pandals
- The Calcutta HC caps the maximum number of organisers allowed inside the puja pandals
- Only 25 members allowed to enter bigger pandals and 15 for the smaller ones
- The court ruled that the names of organisers allowed inside the pandals to be displayed outside
- Calcutta HC also instructs to build barricades at entrances of all pandals
What CPI(M) and Congress Say
Sujan Chakraborty, CPI(M) leader, said, “With coronavirus cases rapidly surging in the state, this seems like a pivotal decision by the High court. We welcome the decision of the High Court. The state government should ensure that the court’s order is followed at all the pandals. The organisers should make arrangements to avoid any inconveniences caused to the pandal hoppers this year.“
Even Congress leaders welcome the Calcutta HC’s big judgement. They believe this will surely help to reduce crowding fears inside the pandals, which will help flatten the curve during this festival.
Adhir Chowdhury, Pradesh Congress Chief of West Bengal, said, “We welcome the court’s decision. We feel that the court’s intervention will help to avoid crowding inside the puja pandal during this pandemic.”
What Pandal Organisers Say
The Pandal organisers seem to be disappointed after the court’s verdict. They feel that they had already completed the pandal structure and now this means a quick need to remodel infrastructure of the same. They would have to make all last-minute changes keeping the court’s set guidelines in mind.
According to few pandal organisers , the Court’s decision will create more traffic congestion in the streets during the Pujas.
A senior pandal organiser of Suruchi Sangha club of Alipore said ” If people were forced to see Durga idol and pandal from a distance of five meters and ten minutes, traffic congestion will increase and it will be difficult for the police to maintain the crowd. We do not have any control over the crowd.”
“We are worried after the court’s verdict now. We would need to rearrange the pandal structure following the court’s decision. We have very limited time to achieve that. Already the labourers have left for their homes. It is a cause of worry to find fresh labourers with just three days left before the celebrations begin. This will incur huge expenses too and we would have to bear it,” said Minati Saha, Bosepukur Talbagan puja organiser.
Furthermore, Murshidabad’s Mahisadal Subarna Sangha organiser, said, “We respect the court’s decision. It has been taken keeping the difficult, present times in mind. Though the verdict comes in at such short notice, we will be able to manage all the arrangements to be made according to the guidelines. We need to shift the big LCD screen to a different space now.”