Durga Puja guidelines, which were supposed to be issued three months ago, has now left puja committees in a fix as preparations are already underway. Although the state government announced the guidelines on Oct 1, committees say it is too late.

Members of the Jamshedpur Durga Puja Kendriya Samity, the apex body of puja committees in the steel city, having met chief minister Hemant Soren once. has decided to meet him again to eliberate upon issues faced by them.

"The problem is that puja committees have already ordered idols, some of them 9-11 ft in height. Now artisans cannot make a new idol within 17 days. We are thankful that the government heard us, but this needs a practical solution. So, we will once again meet the chief minister to regularise what is already in place," said general secretary of Jamshedpur Durga Puja Kendriya Samity, Arun Singh.

Singh said they will also request the chief minister to allow the preparation of bhog, but as a takeaway. Members also feel that 25 people, instead of the recommended seven, be alowed in the pandal at a time. They also seek to ask for dhakis and loudspeakers to play at the time of mantra recitation and aarti.

"Food takeaway was already permitted, hence bhog shouldn't have a problem. Puja committees have ensured social distancing and we think we must cooperate with them. I believe we can enjoy the festival responsibly with a few improvisations in the guidelines. It's just that the government needs to think and consider these points," said C.N. Banerjee, president of Jamshedpur Durga Puja Kendriya Samity.

"Although our idol is only five foot, the rest of the guidelines are almost impossible to follow. Seven people in a puja pandal is too less and loudspeakers have got nothing to do with the pandemic. Also if the government can allow restaurants to open, what is the problem with bhog," said Chitrodeep Bhattacharjee, a member of the New Farm Area Sarbajanin Durga Puja Committee.