Ahead of Puja, Malda district admin forms joint panel

Malda: To organise Durga Puja peacefully and smoothly, the Malda district administration is forming a joint committee with all stakeholders. The committee will comprise the Police, Electricity department, PWD, and the Fire departments. Along with checking the prerequisites for organising the Pujas, the committee will also check the height of each puja pandal, entrance and exit for visitors, electricity arrangements and fire safety norms.

Nitin Singhania, District Magistrate (DM) Malda, announced this decision in an administrative meeting held with the Puja committees of Malda. Addressing the Puja committees, the DM said: “Durga Puja is not held for 4 days in Malda district at present. The pandals are open to visitors from the day of Mahalaya, making it an extended affair of 9 to 10 days.”

Municipality chairman Krishnendu Narayan Choudhury said: “We have noticed that the Puja committees have been putting up excessive hoardings on the streets of the town lately. Each club or puja organiser makes 10 to 12 bamboo arches and shortens the roads. It also increases visual pollution. We will not allow any club to build more than one or two advertising towers from now on.”