Archaic rules hit Navi Mumbai's biggest Durga Pujas

City’s prominent Bengali associations will not been hosting Durga Puja celebrations at their usual grounds this year. Reason: Cidco has denied them permission to hold the festivities at school grounds.

The associations’ members expressed their displeasure over the fact that programmes promoting the culture are being hampered due to Cidco’s order.

Sarvajanik Vashi Durga Puja, organised by the Bengal Trust, will take place at NMMC football ground in Vashi’s sector 10, instead of the ICL School ground, sector 15.

Asit Ghosh, president of the Bengal Trust, said Cidco directed the school management to use school playgrounds for school activities only and not for festival celebration. “It will inconvenience scores of devotees who come to attend our puja as many will not be aware of the change of venue this year,” said Ghosh.

Another prominent Durga Puja celebration is of the Vashi Cultural Association, which was always organised at Modern College ground. However, this year their venue is the ground near NMMT bus depot in sector 12, near Neel Siddhi Towers.

Expressing displeasure on the rule, Ghosh added that arrangements are on to spread the news of the change as widely as possible. He said, “We will be erecting a banner near the ICL School ground so that those who go there first will be directed to the right location. Banners will also be put up in strategic locations such as the market place, Vashi bus depot and the railway station so that people come to know about the change.”

The point of argument by the organisations’ representatives is that Durga Puja is an important celebration that brings together not only Bengalis, but also people from other communities and it has a great cultural significance. Thus, hampering the festivities by a change of venue will act as a major impediment.

Swapan Jana, cultural in-charge of Vashi Cultural Association, said, “We have been organising our puja at the college ground for 10 years. This sudden shift will not go down well with devotees. Also, the ground we have been given now is in a very basic state with a lot of waste dumped. So, we are in the process of cleaning it.”

Pointing out a relevant clause in the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act of 1966, Jana said that clause 37A of the act provides for temporary change of usage of grounds.

“The state government or the planning authority can permit the usage of such grounds for religious or cultural celebrations for a period not exceeding 12 days at a time or 30 days in a year. So, it fails me why this part of the law is not being considered. We are planning to file a petition after the puja celebration, seeking a reason why we cannot use the college ground,” he said.

Cidco officials were, however, unavailable for comment even after repeated attempts.