Kolkata, 15 September (H.S.): The Calcutta High Court on Tuesday permitted the organisers to hold Vishwakarma Puja in Haldia and directed the local police to issue the necessary permission by September 16. The puja is scheduled to be held on September 18 and 19.

Justice Sougat Bhattacharyya passed the direction while hearing a petition filed by the Haldia Refinery Workers Employees Vishwakarma Puja Festival Committee, which had approached the court seeking permission to organise the puja on land belonging to the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port Authority at its Haldia Dock Complex.

The petitioners told the court that the Fire and Emergency Services Department had informed them that the necessary permission could not be granted unless they obtained a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the local police. The committee subsequently sought directions from the court to the police to grant permission for the event.

The state government opposed the petition, arguing that the organisers were also required to obtain an NOC from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

The court, however, observed that the land on which the puja is proposed to be held belongs to the port authority and that there was no likelihood of the event causing any inconvenience to the general public.

Justice Bhattacharyya also questioned the necessity of obtaining an NOC from the CISF. The court directed the Haldia police to issue the required permission by September 16, enabling the organisers to obtain the necessary NOC from the Fire and Emergency Services Department.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh