Police bans use of DJs during Ganesh puja celebrations in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack

Bhubaneswar: The police have banned use of disc jockeys (DJ) during Ganesh Puja celebrations in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.

The Ganesh puja will be celebrated on September 7 Police Commissioner Sanjeeb Panda said this after holding a meeting with the puja organizers in Cuttack. Similarly, Bhubaneswar DCP Prateek Singh held another such meeting here on Sunday.

In both meetings, the organizers have been asked not to use DJ music during the puja including idol immersion processions.

The idol immersion ceremony in Cuttack is scheduled for September 15, 22 and 29. The Puja committees have been asked to seek prior permission from the local police station seven days before, he said.

Similarly, the puja committees in Bhubaneswar will hold the immersion processions on September 8, 11 and 15, said DCP Singh.

The Ganesh puja committees have been asked not to play DJ music and install CCTVs in their pandals, he said, adding, "We have directed them to use traditional musical instruments instead of DJs during the procession." Strict action will be taken for forcible collection of donations from the people, he warned.

The police will deploy adequate number of security personnel in the capital city to regulate traffic during the puja.

However, the DJ owners opposed the move and said the ban order will affect their livelihood in the upcoming festival season.