Earlier this week, the High Court had issued strict guidelines for the puja committees on the height of the pandals and fire safety norms, among other things.

“We inspected various big and small pandals today and although we did not find any defaulters, the officers in-charge of many police stations have informed that there are around 300 defaulters in the city. A list of those who flouted the guidelines has been prepared and we shall have to decide what action can be taken against them. We will consult the High Court in this regard,” said Chakrabarti.

He said that many of the Puja committees had said that since the guidelines had been issued at the eleventh hour it would not be possible for them to rectify their pandals.

“Many of the Puja committees have used inflammable objects to construct their pandals and we have asked them to spray a special anti-inflammatory chemical on them to make them fire-proof. The officials of CESC, fire department and Kolkata police will go around inspecting them in the next two days to make sure that they have carried out the orders,” said Chakrabarti.

The HC has made it clear that a pandal cannot be constructed right next to a home and the committees must leave a gap of four feet to allow pedestrian movement.

Trinamool, CPM cadres clash over Puja stall

A week before the Pujas, Rammohan Roy Sarani-APC Bose Road in North Kolkata was the scene of chaos today with the members of Trinamool and the CPM blaming each other for breaking a stall of National Book Agency (NBA).

Locals said that the NBA stall was being constructed when the local Trinamool supporters trooped in and broke it, leading to clashes between the members of the two parties. Three CPM supporters were allegedly injured and had to be hospitalised.

Trinamool supporters said the space had allegedly been reserved by them for their Jaago Bangla stall and they had even taken permission from the KMC for it and informed the local police stations.