SHILLONG: As people continue to express concern over environmental degradation, the Central Puja Committee (CPC) here is trying to ensure that the forthcoming Durga puja celebrations in the state is as environmental-friendly as possible.
Altogether 242 committees will be organizing Durga Puja this year across the state. The CPC has issued instructions to all the committees to abstain from using plastic in any forms, types and microns and advised them to go for bio-degradable products like earthen items and those made of paper, leaf etc.
Use of eco-friendly idols, no to chemical paints, eco-friendly decorating products, energy-saving lighting arrangements, use public transport, recycling and depositing all flexes and banners after the celebrations are few other initiatives undertaken by the CPC towards organizing an environment-friendly puja.
CPC president, Naba Bhattacharjee told the media here, “It has always been an endeavour of the CPC to make the annual celebration of puja as environment-friendly as possible and this year also we have taken various initiatives and the most important one is to say no to the use of plastic in any form.”
Getting into the details of it, Bhattacharjee pointed out that Plaster of Paris were used for building the idols which pollutes the water as the material does not dissolve easily and the CPC, Meghalaya has been ensuring compliance of using eco-friendly clay idols and now all idols are made of clay where natural colours like dyes from flowers are used for painting the idols.
Stating that Puja pandals mostly use thermocol and plastic for decorations, which are non-degradable, Bhattacharjee said, “ Decoration needs to be limited to paper products and other natural degradable items including bamboo, bamboo reeds, colourful papers, old papers for paper packets and Rangolis and diyas need to be given more prominence”.
Talking about one of the most important aspect related to puja celebration, that is the immersion of idols, which is carried on at the banks of Wahmukhrah River at Polo, Bhattacharjje said that the CPC has for years ensured that the river is cleaned 500 meters downwards and 500 meters upwards before and after the immersion and traps are placed in the river to prevent the idols from getting washed away.
Informing that they wanted to use the dip and take formula of the idols from this year, but a crane could not be placed to dip and bring out the idols out of the water due to space constraint. So, they would stick to the old way of cleaning the river. He further appealed all the Puja committees to refrain from immersion idols into any water bodies except the designated immersion ghats or area.
Bringing to light that banners and flexes which are synthetic, polyester and nylon based, are harmful to the environment, Bhattacharjee said that after the immersion all puja committees are directed to deposit their respective flexes and banners at the immersion ghat between 11 am and 5 pm which will be in turn handed over to an NGO which will take it to remote villages and make use of it as shelter for livestocks or additional roofing in the villages to repair leakages.