Bhubaneswar: Tension gripped the Old Town area in Bhubaneswar after several devotees staged an impromptu agitation protesting the decision of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) to ban the rituals of 'Paya Sraddha' & 'Pinda Dana' at the Bindusagar Lake and near Lingaraj Temple in the city today. Two platoons of police force was rushed in to prevent any untoward incident in the area.
In view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation, the BMC had issued a notification on Friday stating that, “In view of restriction imposed by the government on large religious congregation and apprehension of spread of the COVID-19 virus due to congregation of large number of citizens on the eve of Deepavali festival at Bindu Sagar tank and near Singha Dwara of Lingaraj temple, the Paya Shraddha and Pinda Dana rituals have been banned for this year.”
However, expressing displeasure over this 'sudden decision' of the administration, devotees who have come from outside for observing the rituals for paying obeisance to the departed family members, reportedly resorted to agitation. Rising tension has forced the administration to deploy two platoons of police force in Old Town area. The forces will remain stationed at Devi Padahara, Kedar Gouri and near Bindusagar Lake till 10 PM today.
It is pertinent to mention here that restriction on sale and bursting of firecrackers in the state is already in force till November 30. Odisha government had prohibited the sale and bursting of firecrackers between November 10 and 30 considering the potentially harmful effects of fumes emanating from firecrackers on people with respiratory problems and co-morbidities.
On Friday, the district administration of Puri had also enforced a ban on the age-old ritual of burning of Kaunriya Kathi (jute sticks) to pay obeisance for salvation of ancestors in front of Lord Jagannath Temple during Diwali this year.