Kolkata: All Durga Puja pandals and themes should keep in mind and conform to the festival’s original significance and tradition, CM Suvendu Adhikari told organisers during a meeting on Monday while announcing several breaks from the celebration that Kolkata and Bengal had got used to seeing in the last few years.The state administration would not organise any immersion carnival but there would be roadshows during the festival days, besides the Mahalaya programme at Eden Gardens the state announced a few days ago, he said.A partial ban on the sale of alcohol would also be re-entering the Durga Puja calendar this year, with Adhikari announcing liquor vends would be shut on Ashtami.The CM announced a Durga Puja grant of Rs 1 lakh for organisers but appealed to big-budget pujas not to apply for it. The state administration last year gave a grant of Rs 1.1 lakh each to all 45,000-odd registered clubs and puja committees.Adhikari also asked private electricity provider CESC and state-owned WBSEDCL to provide free electricity to Durga Puja organisers; the waiver was 80% last year. CESC managing director Vineet Sikka later said the company would comply with the CM’s directive.Theme-based pujas would be allowed, the CM said, but committees must ensure their themes did not hurt or undermine Sanatani traditions and Bengal’s heritage and culture. There would be a complete ban on DJ music during puja days as well as immersion, he added, urging organisers not to block National Highways.The immersion carnival that Kolkata hosted till last year was imposed upon puja committees, Adhikari said, while unveiling the state’s this year’s plan to host a grand four-hour Mahalaya programme at Eden Gardens that would be organised jointly by the tourism and information & cultural affairs departments. “It will feature drone and fireworks as we welcome the Goddess’s arrival. We have invited PM Narendra Modi to the event,” he added.The state tourism department would also organise a puja programme in Digha and six cities across Bengal would host two-day events after Mahalaya, Adhikari said, adding that four ghats in Kolkata would be dressed up for the festival.All idols will have to be immersed within three days of Dashami. “Idol immersion is done according to the almanac. It cannot happen according to one’s whims. We need a cut-off date,” he explained.“I had earlier said committees with small budgets would be given assistance. But I do not want to misuse the CM’s powers and so will leave it to puja committees. But I appeal to committees that can host the puja without financial assistance not to apply (for it). Those who really need the grant should apply,” Adhikari said, adding that the previous regime had increased the grant from Rs 25,000 to Rs 1.1 lakh over the years but it had not yielded political dividends and, instead, made many committees dependent on the assistance.The administration would make special arrangements to facilitate puja visits for persons with disabilities and residents of old-age homes, Adhikari said, clarifying that the state would continue to award puja committees with prizes in categories like best idol, best pandal, best eco-friendly puja, best crowd management, best public turnout and best idol-maker/artist. Only experts with knowledge about Durga Puja will be judges.Police and fire brigade personnel, state health and transport departments employees as well as those of urban local bodies who would be on duty during puja would get two days’ paid holiday after the festival, Adhikari said.
