Admn grants ‘conditional permission’ for Durga Puja in Ashiana park

After the police stopped the preparations of Durga Puja at Ashiana park in sector K on Monday, the district administration granted ‘conditional permission’ for the same on Tuesday.

The preparations were stopped after a complaint was lodged by a local resident who was previously attached with the Shri Shri Durga Puja Samiti.

DM Kaushal Raj Sharma said, “I have granted permission for puja in sector K park this year because it has been held there traditionally. But from next year the puja samiti will have to take the permission of owner too as the park is still under the ownership of a private builder.”

The puja here is being organised for the last 19 years.

General secretary of Shri Shri Durga Puja Samiti Ashiana, BP Saha said, “We had applied for the permission of holding Durga Puja two months back. Since the approval is always granted a day before the puja, we were busy with the preparations. On Monday, local police told us to stop the work. Despite all our arguments and producing old documents, they did not let us continue with the work.” “The police told us that a few residents led by one Rajendra Kumar Dixit, were against holding the puja in the park. A few years back Dixit used to be the patron of Shri Shri Durga Puja Samiti Ashiana but he left the samiti and has now started creating problems for us,” alleged BP Saha. “Dixit along with some locals has constructed a temple near sector K market. Now he wants to maintain his monopoly,” alleged Saha.

However, when HT contacted, Rajendra Kumar Dixit he said, “Anti-social elements used to participate in puja. Besides, the Supreme Court has banned any kind of functions inside parks. I have support of 16 residents with me and will not allow puja inside the park.”