GUWAHATI: The Kamrup (Metro) District Administration last Monday appealed to Durga Puja celebration committees in Guwahati to make the pandals a tobacco-free zone.
The District Administration had requested committees to display at least two hoardings at every Durga Puja pandal with the slogan of "No smoking Area – Smoking here is an offense" and "Saradiya Puja Dhapat Mukta Puja".
While the District Administration wants an anti-tobacco promotion at Puja pandals, most pandals across Guwahati are seen promoting tobacco brands. While there is no direct advertising of tobacco products, these are tobacco companies that operate in the guise of Pan Masala brands.
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“In times of poor market and ongoing economic crisis, only Pan Masala brands come forward with huge donations for us, which we accept,” said one of the organizers of a Puja committee under anonymity.
In terms of the brands’ presence, they have managed to install large gate arches across most puja pandals and main roads. While these gate arches are being installed temporarily, they leave permanent damages to the roads as well.
While the Guwahati Municipal Corporation mandated an advertising fee of upto Rs. 1,00,000 per such gate for a 7-day display from commercial brands, the revenue is seemingly not collected officially and accounted for in their treasury because of corruption at the hoardings branch of the GMC which is headed by its Collector.
These advertisements are not only contradictory but also mock the District Administration’s "Saradiya Puja Dhapat Mukta Puja" initiative. It remains to be seen if these advertisements attract the Government’s attention and if the Government machinery would get into any action on this.