Talking to heads of various Durga Puja organisers and Kolkata Police, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday announced that there would be no idol immersion after 4 pm on October 11 — Vijaya Dashami — as Muharram processions would begin after that.

There will be no immersion on October 12 too due to Muharram. It will allowed on October 13, up to 4 am the next morning.

Mamata also announced that similar to last year, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation will not charge any tax on advertisement hoardings of puja committees, and the CESC would allow a rebate of 18 per cent on power charges at pandals.

In a first this year, award-winning puja committees would also take out a rally on October 14 on the Red Road here, she said.

The CM, along with Kolkata Police, also launched a web portal ‘Aasan’, a single window for all clearances for the Durga Puja festival in the state.

She said it would be of great help for Durga Puja organisers in the city as they can get all clearances under a single widow system. Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar said the portal will be functional from September 14.

Mamata also directed all district police headquarters and police commissionerates to give 25 puja committees maintained by women and 25 clubs without sufficient funds Rs 10,000 each to help them in performing Durga Puja.

“In every district, the SPs would pay 25 committees headed by women and 25 cash-strapped committees Rs 10,000 each. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) will also give the same amount to 100 such women-managed committees and poor clubs for the purpose,” she said, urging her cabinet ministers and reputed puja organisers to help the ones which were in distress, in their respective areas.

The CM also said that everybody should be on high alert before Durga Puja, Diwali and Muharram and avoid untoward incidents. She said puja committees should take turns to be on guard. “Not everyone is notorious, with the exception of one or two persons who commit nuisance because of which everyone suffers. We need to observe Muharrum along with Durga Puja, and need to be careful that no trouble is created in the process,” she said.

Citing the mishap at Deshapriya Park last year where a stampede took place, she said, “They had only one gate and the road was so narrow that even fire brigades could not enter the place. Puja committees need to ensure that there are thick ropes to control the crowd, entry and exit gates of pandals are big and all park gates are open for visitors in case on an emergency.”

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