Kataka: Ahead of Ganesh Puja, the Commissionerate Police on Thursday held a preparatory meeting at Saheed Bhawan here to review security arrangements and discuss measures for the smooth conduct of the festival and subsequent immersion processions.
The meeting, chaired by Bhubaneswar-Kataka Police Commissioner Dr Suresh Dev Datta Singh, was attended by police officials, members of puja committees, peace committee representatives and representatives of various political parties.
Ganesh Puja will be celebrated on September 14, while the immersion processions will be taken out on September 20 and 27 and October 4.
During the meeting, police warned puja committees against forced collection of donations and said a zero-tolerance approach would be adopted against such practices. The committees were also asked to strictly follow all rules and regulations prescribed for the celebrations.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Commissioner Singh said around 1,200 organisers were currently waiting for licences to conduct Ganesh Puja.
“Ganesh Puja will be held on September 14, followed by Visarjan on September 20, 27 and October 4. We discussed how to ensure that the celebrations are conducted peacefully and without any untoward incidents,” he said.
The Commissioner said the police were also working towards expanding the single-window licensing system for puja organisers. The system, already functioning in Bhubaneswar, has received a positive response, he said.
The Kataka Municipal Corporation (KMC) will also facilitate registrations through the single-window system, Singh said.
“We will try to introduce more single-window systems. If that is not possible, the police will coordinate with the concerned departments,” he said.
