AGARTALA, October 5 (TIWN): Descending wave of sorrow at the end of four days long Durga puja on Saturday has left many issues unaddressed for the commoners of Tripura. Is it really a winning of good over evils or Maa Durga left behind some more devils and demons to be a cause of suffering till her next arrival?To begin with the onset of Sharad festival on Tuesday, the city people have been facing uncountable inconveniences to enjoy the puja. Due to short-sightedness of police, movement in the city for the commoners became more troublesome.Thanks to Traffic authority in the name of puja pass for emergency service providers – hundreds of passes have been issued in the name of school teachers, clerks, contractors, business magnets, mafias, phensedyl dealers, potato and onion stockiest, fast food sellers and finally in the brand name of media.When at 6 pm no entry boards were erected on Wednesday in all 16 city points to pave the way for devotees to enjoy puja on streets safely. Hundreds of bikes and cars pasting yellow pass in front dominated the roads and helpless policemen just became a silent spectator.

It is alleged for 6pm to 12am – 6 hours for four days police issued more than 2000 passes where 80 percent were not for genuine reason. Just to cover up the inefficiency and corruption of Traffic police, authority issued pass for unscrupulous elements.

“I heard pass was sold by a section of government officials and civilian by xeroxing it in colour but there nobody to check the menace. I am narrowly escaped from the accident when two bikes and three cars riding among the crowd in Kaman Chowmuhani on Friday around 10 pm. Nobody was there to prevent them rather police sergeants were hyper-active against cycle-rickshaw pullers,” said Jatindra Sarkar,  a retired teacher.   

He pointed out that Tripura police become a puppet now. When all the newspapers were closed even including party’s mouthpiece Daily Desher Katha, how they issued 465 passes for media ?

“Only news channels and photographers in a systematic manner around 50 passes were enough. On the other, many doctors of GBP hospital refused to obtain passes during Durga puja because of irrational approach of police,” he stated.

Sarkar however, demanded to investigate the matter how passes were issued.

He argued the arrangement of pass during puja was to facilitate the emergency service providers to move on street. Like doctors, communication engineers, media persons and a few officers related to emergency service. But unfortunately, Traffic police invited applications with all documents for puja pass!

It opened up an opportunity for corrupt officials to do business in different names. If the passes are related to emergency service, how police allowed people to get entry into puja pandals with family creating all non-sense for the commoners.

Mr Sakar recalled a story of a decade ago when one officer Jitendra Debbarma was in Traffic unit – in that year, a few passes were issued. And he extended the area of no entry gradually at the night became mature.

As a result, there were fewer problems in movement and finally only 2-3 hours the movement in all the streets was restricted when crowd went out of control. But somehow the mechanism had gone out of the orbit of talented administration – may be to facilitate the corruption in all possible ways.

If emergency service providers are required puja pass – the authority could do it easily through respective departments and organisations. Moreover, if puja passes are given for emergency movement how police allowed the revelers to enter into pandals with family members’ everyday and move on street without hesitation – does it not an indulgence of corruption?

In another incident, like previous years, police allowed a puja organizer to host orchestra during puja days on street in Ker Chowmuhani disturbing traffic movement. First of all how could they are allowed to do puja on road and next to create problem for the commoners in every night.

To facilitate a businessman who has been doing business of fast-food for past few months occupying public space in Laxmi Narayan Bari Road, Traffic authority erected no entry board near the shop.

At the behest of administration, the shopkeeper expanded his shop during puja at the road and traffic police provided other side of the road as parking place for the customers and stop movement of all vehicles on the street.

Not only puja days, almost all the times at evening police allowed the shopkeeper do business disturbing others. Top officials and even ministers’ vehicles are also found sometimes stopping at the shop for pack up or enjoy evening with family members.

Everybody is précising the taste of sweets and braverages of the shop but nobody went for quality testing of the items despite series of complaints against the shop. Does it the reason of police to help his business during puja by preventing commoners’ entry?

Lastly, the district administration announced closure of Foreign Liquor shops in the city during Durga puja to avoid any untoward incident after consuming liquor. It is also a short sighted decision of administration to encourage police to collect money from them by allowing them black marketing of poor quality liquors.

In front of police, in all the Foreign Liquor shops have been selling liquor at double price in the city ahead of down shuttered shop. Two FL merchants of Colonel Chowmuhani and Orient Chowmuhani revealed that for four days of puja they paid Rs 2 lakh to the police station of the city for offering them the opportunity.

“It is surprising before any event administration announced closure of FL shops in the city when people want to get booze and had it been opened, the revenue earnings of the state could be doubled and there is less chance of selling poor quality but it goes reverse in Agartala,” said a liquor fond citizen, don’t want to be quoted.

The city desperately in need of bars to prevent illegal mushrooming liquor bottling units and indulging people to have liquor in most dangerously on street, he added.