CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Monday allowed nine puja committees in Cuttack city to go ahead with more than 4 ft tall idols for Dussehra.The division bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice BR Sarangi granted the permission after Advocate General submitted details on the status of idols at the nine puja mandaps.
The order will only be applicable for the nine puja mandaps in Cuttack, the bench clarified, adding that immersion of these idols will be done by the local administration.
The nine puja mandaps where idols had remained incomplete, include Sikharpur (5 feet 2"), Nuabazaar ( 5 feet 2"), College Square (4 feet 9"), Alisha Bazaar (6 feet), Balu Bazaar (5 feet), Mangalabag (7 feet), Upper Telenga Bazaar (8 feet), Firingi Bazaar (8 feet) and Kazi Bazaar (5 feet).
On September 17, Commissioner of Police Sudhanshu Sarangi had directed puja committees in Cuttack to restrict the height of the idols to 4 ft as per the State Government’s guidelines issued on September 10. But, puja committees of Balu Bazaar and eight other localities, who had by then started making their idols with heights of more than 4 ft, challenged the CP's order and sought the court’s intervention.
The state government had maintained before the court that the purpose of the guidelines to restrict the size of the idols to 4 ft was that they could be immersed by using trolley or auto-rickshaw, with not more than five people, so that COVID-19 guidelines may be complied with. Transporting the idol for immersion by way of chassis/tractor would lead to congregation of people for darshan of the deity, the Government had contended.