By TC News Desk
Agartala, September 14, 2022: An interaction session was held at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan here with the Clubs and Puja Committees in and around Agartala Municipal Corporation ahead of the ensuing Durga Puja festival. The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, ICA minister Sushanta Chowdhury, AMC Mayor Dipak Majumder, Deputy Mayor Manika Das Datta, Chief Secretary JK Sinha, DGP Amitabh Ranjan, Power department Secretary Brijesh Panday, DIG (Law and Order) GK Rao, West Tripura district DM Debapriya Bardhan, Agartala Club Forum secretary Pranab Sarkar, West Tripura district SP Sankar Debnath and others.
Addressing the session, CM Dr Saha said “Durga Puja is a festival of goodwill as it creates a sense of brotherhood and solidarity among people. In the name of subscriptions or donations, this grand festival should not be spoiled unnecessarily. If there is a complaint against any club or puja committees regarding donations, law will take its own course.”
Focusing on the government’s initiative in building a self-reliant state from the very beginning, he said “Artists from outside the state are given preferences for idols, pandals, illumination, etc. in case of big-budget pujas. If the artists and workers of the state are given the opportunity then the money of the state will remain in the state. He requested the puja organizers to take decisions with a positive attitude in this regard.
The Chief Minister also asked the puja organizers present to discuss in their respective clubs the issues that were discussed in the interaction meeting. “In the past, chaos was all around Durga Puja festival. It has been possible to get out of that situation due to proper maintenance of law and order during the present government.” Dr Saha put a blanket ban on selling of liquors in this year’s puja festival. He also requested the clubs to work together for permitted electricity usage during puja, keeping enough volunteers, healthy competition between clubs.
ICA minister Sushanta Chowdhury asked the club authorities to participate in the immersion carnival officially on the occasion of ‘Vijaya Dashami’. “Initially this immersion carnival programme will be held on October 07 next starting from Post Office Chaumuhani to Dashamighat via Paradise Chaumuhani and Melarmath with the Durga idols of various clubs.
In the meeting, DIG GK Rao said that 104 applications for puja have been submitted in West Tripura so far this year. This number is about two and a half thousand in the entire state. In addition to security forces, around 1500 members of TSR, Scouts and Guides, NCC will be there to maintain law and order. There will be no entry from 5 pm to 12 midnight. For this, there will be 10 drop gates at the entrance to Agartala city.
