Bhubaneswar: The Commissionerate Police has banned DJ music during the celebration of this year’ Ganesh Puja in the twin cities of Cuttack and Bhubaneswar.

The Commissionerate Police made this announcement after holding discussions with the Ganesh Puja committees of both the cities.

The cops have warned of stringent action for forcible collection of donations for Ganesh Puja and any distortion in the idols during the festival.

The Puja committees of the twin cities have been told to check the use of liquor and other intoxicants during the idol immersion ceremony.

“We have held a preparatory meeting for this year’s Ganesh Puja in Cuttack city. The festival will be held on September 7 while the idol immersion ceremony is scheduled for September 15, 22 and 29. The Puja committees will seek prior permission from the Commissionerate Police for taking out the immersion procession. No one will be allowed to play DJ music during Ganesh Puja as well as the immersion ceremony,” said twin city Police Commissioner Sanjeeb Panda.

The Puja committees in the Odisha capital will hold the immersion ceremony on September 8, 11 and 12, said Bhubaneswar Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Prateek Singh.

“The Ganesh Puja committees in the capital city have agreed not to play DJ music in their orchestra programmes as well as during the immersion ceremony. The committees have been told to check the consumption of liquor and other intoxicants during the immersion ceremony. Strict action will be taken for forcible collection of donations from the people,” added the DCP.

The Commissionerate Police will deploy adequate number of security personnel in the capital city to regulate traffic during Ganesh Puja. The entire city would be under CCTV surveillance to keep the anti-social elements at bay, Singh said.

The owners of DJ music, meanwhile, claimed that the ban order will affect their business in the upcoming festival season.

“We earn our livelihood by playing DJ music during Ganesh Puja and other festivals. The ban order will affect our business. Some of our employees may lose their jobs. Anyway, we will obey the decision of the Commissionerate Police,” Babuli Sahu, the owner of Maa Singhabahini DJ.