Honour for 12 South Dinajpur Puja committees

Balurghat: As many as 12 Puja committees were conferred with the Biswa Bangla Sarad Samman 2020 by the District Information and Cultural Department here for different categories.

"This year, 12 Pujas (organisers) have received the awards for Best Puja (Sera Puja), Best Pandal (Sera Mandap), Best Idol (Sera Pratima) and Best COVID-19 (Sera COVID-19 Swasthya Bidhi). In each category, three committees have received the prize," Santanu Chakraborty, the District Information and Cultural officer said.

The award was instituted in 2014 to felicitate the best Puja 'mandaps.'

This year Uttamasha Club of Balurghat, Gangarampur Youth Club of Gangarampur and Basudebpur Biplabi Sangha of Hili were the recipients of the best Puja award. Three Puja committees—Basudebpur Biplabi Sangha of Hili, Trimohini Amar Friends of Trimohini Hili and Kachikala Academy of Balurghat bagged the best pandal award.

The award of best idol went to three Pujas including Nabaprabhat Sangha, Sanket Club and Amrita Sangha of Balurghat while Best COVID-19 (Sera COVID-19 Swasthya Bidhi) was received by Uttamasha Club of

Balurghat, Gangarampur Youth Club of Gangarampur and Kachikala Academy of Balurghat.

Addressing a function on the occasion at Baluchaya auditorium, District Magistrate Nikhil Nirmal said the Durga puja festival helps in community development

among people despite pandemic and Biswa Bangla Sarad Samman, the initiative taken by the state government has imposed a good impact on people.