CUTTACK: Discontentment brewed among the Basanti Durga Puja organisers in the city over the alleged mismanagement by the Cuttack Municipal Corporation (CMC) in providing adequate and clean water in the temporary pond for idol immersion.
The four-day-long festival concluded on Monday following which puja organisers geared up for the immersion processions of their respective idols. However much to their chagrin, the water in the temporary pond was inadequate and filled with garbage rendering it unusable for idol immersion, they alleged.
Due to this, the Marwari Club in Manik Ghose Bazar had to immerse its Vaishno Devi idol in CMC’s Chandan Pokhari at Choudhury Bazar on Monday night, while other committees which set out for the immersion on Tuesday morning, were left waiting with their respective idols near the temporary pond at Devi Gada for several hours.
Advisor of Chandni Chowk puja committee, Manoranjan Das said there was no adequate water in the temporary pond till 2 pm. “When we reached the area, the pond had insufficient water which too, was filled with garbage. It is not possible to immerse the idol in such scanty and filthy water,” he rued.
He further blamed the Mahanagar puja committee and Shanti committee for not taking proper stock of the situation even after participating in the preparatory meetings held for the purpose.
“As per the scheduled programme, we reached Devi Gada at 10.15 pm on Monday night. But since there was no water in the temporary pond, we were compelled to immerse our Vaishno Devi idol at Chandan Pokhari,” said an organiser of Marwadi Club.
Criticising the CMC for its inefficiency and mismanagement, Mahanagar puja committee secretary Pravat Tripathy said the civic body failed to make the requisite provisions despite assuring of the same during the preparatory meeting.
City health officer Dr Satyabrat Mohapatra said, “We removed the tarpaulin sheets from the temporary pond and filled it with clean water using two tankers following which the idol immersions resumed. Adequate manpower was also deployed for cleaning the pond after the immersion ceremony was wrapped up,” he added.