President, Mr. Gautam Ray, initiated the meeting requesting all the residents to stay safe and to maintain personal health and hygiene in order to protect themselves from the COVID outbreak. He also briefed the members present in the meeting with the development of recent past and also mentioned the specific agenda to be discussed in the meeting. He requested members to give suggestion/advices on organising the ensuing Durga Puja festival in October 2020. 

Considering the pandemic situation prevailing in the country as well as in the locality, it will be difficult to organise the festival in same manner as of last year and the scale of expenditure and the form will be different. While the tentative expenditure for Puja festival is budgeted as Rs.25 Lacs, this year a budget of Rs.15 Lacs has been considered based on reality. He also mentioned that Executive Committee has decided that the Puja subscription and annual subscription will remain unaltered, subject to approval of members. All regulations of social distancing will be maintained during festival. Pandal area will be with more coverage and it will be of open type. There will be no cultural programme in physical form, however digital form of events can be thought of. Souvenir will be published in usual form, for which, the sub-committee has already started functioning. 

Sri. Kallol Dutta, Secretary, mentioned that a token advance has been given to the image artist. There will be no provision of community lunch this year. May be, one day “Prasad” can be distributed among the residents of the Block. Further he mentioned that we are waiting for formal communication from Administration in this regard.

On the request of President, members started expressing their views one after another. Dr. A. M. Saha mentioned that during worship, five ladies should be on stage at a time maintaining the social distancing. “Anjali” may be given virtually staying at house and adequate public address system should be provided so that residents can listen to the Mantra from their house. There should not be any arrangement for Prasad distribution. Attempt will be made to contribute through advertisement in souvenir to the extent possible. Sri. Kalyan Mukherjee stated that Durga Puja should be organized maintaining the norms. There should not be any community lunch and Executive Committee can think of reducing the subscription to the extent possible. Sri. Himangshu Ray suggested to provide more public address system throughout the Block. Prof. B. B. Jana suggested that Purohit should wear mask. Sri. Samir Chakraborty opined that subscription should be collected online. He also suggested that in the Souvenir, poems more than 16 lines should be allowed. Mrs. Sanghamitra Saha opined that image should be small and outsiders should not be allowed at all. We should create the festive mood and contribute to the artisans as help and assistance from some of the surplus fund of puja collection. Sri. Shailendra Singh mentioned that for Anjali and puja viewing, camera should be installed so that residents can enjoy Puja online. In his view, puja subscription should not be reduced. Sri. Sujoy Sikdar mentioned that arrangement should be made online for payment of subscription. Sri. Krishnendu Mukherjee suggested that lanes should be illuminated to bring the festival look. Dr. Utpal Sadhu mentioned that image should be small and Executive Committee can think of distributing puja ghat to the residents for giving Anjali in their own house. Sri. Shyamaleshwar Roy Chowdhury suggested to organize Puja in a small away. Smt. Deepa Ghosh suggested that proper preparation should be there for puja rituals. Sri. Shyamal Pal also gave his views on organising puja.

At the end, with suggestions from Sri. Manas Ghosh, Vice President, Smt. Rakhi Sarkar, Asst. Secretary, Sri. V. P. Goel, Treasurer, following decisions have been taken:

• Durga Puja, Lakshmi Puja, Kali Puja will be held in the FE Block in scheduled dates in 2020, in different way maintaining all norms of safe distancing and other statutory rules, subject to approval received from administration.

• Subscription will be same as of last year, i.e. Rs.1000/- for Puja and Rs.700/- for annual subscription as maintenance charge. However as it is not possible to organize Puja only from subscription collection, members are requested to donate generously for the success of the event.

• Attempt would be made to adopt innovative ways to reach residents digitally and festival mood to be created through illumination, virtual viewing etc.

• All other points discussed by the members will be considered during preparatory planning for Puja.

Other Agenda:

Constitution of Sub-committees for regular functioning and specific task related to Puja. Sri. Kallol Dutta mentioned that most of the committees will remain unaltered but in consideration of the lesser availability of residents due to pandemic outbreak, a few committees will be strengthened by addition of one more Convenor/Jt. Convenor. The name of the Convenors and Jt. Convenors (only the changes) are being proposed as follows:

a)   Sub-committee Convenors for the year 2020-21 ( other members including JT Convenors will remain unaltered, unless otherwise mentioned) :

i)   Municipality Affairs

Sri. Pulak Pyne – FE 194

Sri. Shyamal Dutta – FE 127

Sri Swapnanjan Bhowmic - FE 126 (Jt Convenor)

ii)   Security Affairs

Sri. Himadri Dey – FE 339

Sri. Pankaj Kapoor – FE 437

iii)   Library

Smt. Tandra Goswami – FE 297

iv)   Seminar & Symposium

Dr. Gitasree Banerjee – FE 92/1

Sri. Krishnendu Mukhopadhyay – FE 377

v)   Functions & Cultural activities

Smt. Debi Kesh – FE 470

vi)   Sports & Indoor Games

Sri. Pankaj Kapoor – FE 437

Sri. Shailendra Singh – FE 330

vii)   Health Care

Dr. Pallab Bhattacharya – FE 413

Dr. Syed Faizal Ahmed – FE 482

Dr. Sarbajit Ray – FE 281/1 (Jt Convenor)

viii)   Fitness & Yoga

Sri. Subhas Roy – FE 398 (Ground)

ix)   Accounts & Taxation

Sri. Surajit Basu – FE 196

Sri. Partha Pal – FE 186

x)   Community Centre

Sri. Rathin Ray – FE 472/7

Sri. Alok Chowdhury – FE 475/5

xi)   Membership Review

Sri. M. B. Kar – FE 334

Sri. R. N. Kapoor – FE 448

xii)   Ladies Committee

Smt. Chandrima Sarkar – FE 158/2

Smt. Aditi Ray – FE 517/6

xiii)   Elderly Care (BHARASA)

Smt. Subhra Roy Chowdhury – FE 352

xiv)   Social Media

Sri. Subhankar Bhattacharya – FE 260

Sri. Indranil Aich – FE 346

xv)   Advisory Committee

Sri. M. B. Kar – FE 334

Sri. S. K. Chatterjee – FE 353

Dr. A. M. Saha – FE 99

Sri S. Roychowdhury – FE 352

Sri. Udayan Banerjee – FE 184

Sri. Niranjan Das – FE 362

Prof. B. B. Jana – FE 376

Sri. D. Samaddar – FE 243

Dr. Subir Bose – FE 276

Dr. Ashim Dasgupta – FE 145

Sri. Sultan Singh – FE 487

Prof. Suranjan Das – FE 14

Gen. Sankar Roychowdhury – FE 238

Justice Sombuddha Chakraborty – FE 372

Adv. Milan Mukherjee – FE 15

Sri. S. A. Ahmed – FE 506/6

Sri. Satyam Roychowdhury – FE 401

Dr. Hirak Sen – FE 467

Dr. Namita Bhattacharya – FE 260

Sri. T. P. Kar – FE 98

Sri Badal Sengupta – FE 115

Sri N. K. Bose – FE 28

Sri R. N. Kapoor – FE 448

Sri. N. K. Kedia – FE 321

b)   Another two new committees will be formed, the composition of which will be published in souvenir:

     i)   Environment Committee – to create awareness on environmental aspects, to take green initiatives and to achieve for a cleaner environment.

     ii)  Youth Committee – to attract and involve youth of the Block in developmental and recreational activities.

c)   Sub-committees for Puja:

i.   Image

Sri Shyamal Dutta – FE 127

Sri Robin Saha – FE 279

ii.  Publicity & Sponsorship for Branding

Sri Indranil Aich – FE 346

iii.  Puja Rituals

Smt. Deepa Ghosh – FE 424/1

Smt. Dipali Roy – FE 472/2 (Jt Convenor)