BHUBANESWAR : With Durga Puja round the corner, police on Monday asked the puja organisers to create awareness against drug abuse during the festival.
In a preparatory meeting on Durga Puja held at Police Seva Bhawan on Monday, police commissioner S Dev Datta Singh urged the organisers to adopt the theme, ‘Say No To Drugs’ at the pandals here to sensitise the visitors. Durga Puja will be celebrated in at least 190 pandals across the city.
The theme was pitched by additional commissioner Narasingha Bhol. Police have also planned to vigorously continue its recently launched anti-drugs drive, ‘Operation Prahar’ during the festival.
Singh further directed the puja committees not to use laser lights and prohibited vulgar dance performances during melody programmes at the pandals. Like last year, Durga Puja in the state capital will be DJ-free this year too. As per the decision, puja committees in the city will not be allowed to play DJ music at the pandals and have been asked to maintain loudspeaker levels within 65 db during the immersion processions.
“It is mandatory for the puja committees to install adequate number of CCTV cameras at the pandals to keep a close surveillance on anti-social elements,” Singh stressed adding, public safety and security will be their top priority during the festival. Stringent action will be initiated against anti-socials and habitual offenders to ensure the festival passes off smoothly, he said.
The meeting was attended by officials of the Commissionerate Police, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC), Odisha Fire Service, TP Central Odisha Distribution Limited (TPCODL), Excise department, MLAs Babu Singh and Naba Kishor Mallick, and puja committee representatives, among others.