Durga Puja to be celebrated in 161 community pandals across State
SHILLONG: The Central Puja Committee (CPC) has decided to pay tribute to ‘People’s President’ Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam during the upcoming Durga Puja festival.
The CPC made the announcement on the occasion of the 84th birth anniversary of late Dr. Kalam on Thursday.
CPC president Naba Bhattacharjee said they would start this year’s Durga Puja Festival with the annual ‘get together of harmony’ where tributes would be paid to the former President.
A declaration was made that the Durga Puja celebrations in Meghalaya would be the centerpiece at the congregation as Dr. Kalam ‘personified’ harmony, he said.The get together would be held at Laban Assamese Namghar on October 19.
Governor V. Shanmuganathan has consented to be the chief guest on the occasion, Bhattacharjee said.
CPC general secretary J.L. Das said there will be 161 community pandals across the State this year with 87 in Khasi Hills, 54 in Garo Hills, 11 in Ri Bhoi and nine in Jaintia Hills.
He also informed that the CPC will organise the S.K. Das Memorial Drum Beat Competition (traditional) and Prasad Gupta Memorial Drum Beat Competition (indigenous) at R.R. Colony Puja Pandal on October 22.
The CPC will also organise competitions among different pandals of Greater Shillong prizes for which would be distributed on November 14.
Meanwhile, the CPC president revealed that MeECL had sought the help of the CPC to identify non functional street lights in and around Shillong.
“We were caught by surprise with the request from the MeECL. We had anticipated that MeECL would respond positively to our request. Instead, they have asked us to give details of non functional street lights including the pole number,” Bhattacharjee said, adding that the CPC has found 200 plus street lights in and around the city which were non functional.
The MeECL, however, has expressed its inability to make all the street lights functional since a single illumination would cost around Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 25,000, the CPC president informed.
Bhattacharjee further informed that the CPC has requested the Urban Affairs department to ensure that the STPS buses ply till 11 pm from October 20- 22 and MUDA to keep open all its parking lots during the festival.
The CPC also complained of the dilapidated condition of roads in several parts of the city.
“We have urged upon the Deputy Commissioner to get the roads repaired before the Puja festival. We have nothing to complain against the DC since he has tried his best at this own level. But it is the concerned department which has failed to respond to our call,” lamented the CPC president.
The CPC also requested all the Durga Puja committees to install CCTV cameras in the pandals.