ROURKELA: As the festive season approaches, residents can look forward to a hygienic and clean event venues, coupled with eco-friendly celebrations during the upcoming Durga Puja and other festivals in the city. The city administration, in a bid to elevate the overall festival experience, has unveiled a plan that involves both incentives and penalties for organizers.
In a preparatory meeting for Durga, Laxmi, and Kali Puja celebrations, the additional district magistrate and Rourkela Municipal Corporation (RMC) commissioner Subhankar Mohapatra, on Tuesday, introduced several measures. One of the primary directives for the puja committees is to maintain cleanliness and hygiene in the vicinity of the pandals. Additionally, after the conclusion of the festivals, the committees are expected to ensure the thorough cleaning of the venues. Failure to comply with these directives will result in penalties while those who adhere to best practices will be awarded with cash prizes of Rs 20,000, Rs 15,000, and Rs 10,000 as per their positions.
“I suggest the puja committees to adopt natural colours for idol making and keep sound pollution in check by maintaining a reasonable volume for DJ music players during the festivals,” the officer stated.To streamline the issuance of mandatory permissions for puja committees, a single-window system will be established at the ADM office. This system will include representatives from various departments such as electricity and fire services to review applications and grant permissions efficiently, he added.Furthermore, the meeting also discussed the immersion itinerary for the three festivals. In a unanimous decision, the meeting decided that elections for the Central Puja Committee (CPC) would be held every two years, with the validity of the 2022 election extended.