Surat: A dispute over payment for a Ganesh pandal turned into a scuffle between members of the Lokmanya Tilak Ganesh Utsav organising committee and staff of a decoration firm in Vesu, with the matter eventually reaching the police station.The dispute began when staff of Ashirwad Decorators went to the Ganesh pandal to collect decorative items they had installed. Members of the organising committee allegedly stopped them, leading to a confrontation.David, owner of Ashirwad Decorators, said the firm had agreed to create a palace-themed pandal for Rs 51 lakh. “After working for days and installing the items requested by the organisers, we were paid only Rs 32 lakh. We therefore went to the pandal and kept some of our items aside,” he said.Lokmanya Tilak Ganesh Utsav president Priyank Patel, however, said the organisers had written specifications for the pandal and its installations. “The decorator failed to supply and install several items, forcing us to arrange 250 jhumars, carpets, sofas, chairs and landscaping ourselves. We incurred lakhs of rupees on these arrangements. We had hired 25 different agencies and have made full payment to 24 of them. In the case of Ashirwad Decorators, we have already paid 75% of the amount,” Patel told TOI.Both parties subsequently lodged complaints against each other at Vesu police station.Vesu police inspector JA Rathwa said, “We have sought documents from both parties. We will verify the details and file an FIR accordingly if the parties do not reach a compromise.”
