Durga Puja festivities begin in Silk City

Berhampur: With Navaratri starting from October 3, the Durga Puja festivities began with traditional gaiety in Silk City. This year, Berhampur is hosting 42 Durga Pandals.

Berhampur SP Saravana Vivek M said the puja committees have been directed to follow the guidelines on use of DJs and loudspeakers.

The Berhampur Municipal Corporation (BeMC) had asked the puja committees and traders to keep their surroundings clean during the festival of Goddess Durga. “We have asked the puja committees and traders to ensure pandals and business establishments are kept clean”, said Berhampur Mayor Sanghamitra Dalai.

Berhampur Sub-Collector Dheenah Dastageer had detailed discussions with police, sanitation, Fire Brigade, Health, PWD Buildings, PHED, Excise and Electricity staff in the presence of the members of the puja committees on smooth conduct of puja.

The puja committees have been asked to immerse their idols on October 14. Four temporary ponds, First Gate, Minakshi Nagar, Gosaninuagaon and Ambapua, have been constructed in Berhampur by the BeMC to prevent pollution of water bodies.

Though large crowds have already started thronging the city’s markets for puja shopping, steep rise in price of essential commodities and vegetables seems to have become a dampener.