Kolkata: Calcutta HC judge Krishna Rao on Tuesday asked two bickering puja committees in New Town to go for a lottery to decide who would organise this year’s Durga Puja at New Town CC Block.“If Durga Maa is with you, then you will win the lottery and get to organise the puja,” Justice Rao told them.The HC asked both committees to appear before NKDA’s estate manager and participate in a lottery to decide the fight after they failed to reach an amicable solution in court.The New Town CC Block Puja Samity had moved the single bench of Justice Rao against the order of New Town Kolkata Development Authority (NKDA) — responsible for giving permission for Durga Pujas in the township —allowing the New Town CC Block Residents’ Welfare Association to conduct the puja on a disputed plot last month.After Justice Rao had stayed the order and asked NKDA to reconsider the issue by hearing both the Samity and Association, NKDA, represented by Additional Advocate General (AAG) Bilwadal Bhattacharyya, on Tuesday submitted, “NKDA has not granted permission to anyone.” In fact, NKDA, after hearing both sides, withdrew the no objection certificate (NOC) granted to the Association.The authorities’ stand was that both parties may be given the NOC to organise puja on separate plots. The AAG asked both committees to organise the puja jointly. While the Samity’s counsel called for the association to organise the puja with them, the counsel for the Association rejected it.Justice Rao told both sides: “If you are not coming to a solution, how can the court?” Refusing to entertain the dispute further, Justice Rao went on to order conducting a lottery. The judge directed that whoever wins the lottery gets to organise the puja “while maintaining law and order”. The local police were also directed to see that law and order were maintained.“We are extremely upset with the order. If we lose the lottery, we will have a discussion among ourselves if we can organise the puja on a separate plot,” said Atanu Mahapatra, a senior member of the welfare association.Samity officials claimed they have been in control of the puja since 2019 and also expressed disappointment. “We are yet to get the formal order. We will follow whatever the court decides,” said a senior official.Also on Tuesday, hearing another petition where two committees had approached the HC over control of a six-year-old puja at New Town Action Area II B, Justice Rao directed NKDA to grant permission to New Town Prakriti Bandhab Samity.“This would result in two pujas being conducted within a 50-m radius, inside and outside a park,” said a senior member of the Samity.
