Suruchi Sangha to go green this Puja

Suruchi Sangha, known for churning out innovative themes for their Durga Puja pandal, has taken a significant stride in curbing plastic pollution by deciding to use eco-friendly cloth and canvas for banners and hoardings.

“It is high time that we shun the use of plastic as we are all aware of the harmful effects of plastic and how it chokes the drainage system. So, we have decided not to use plastic flexes and banners to keep our Puja environment friendly to the best possible extent,” Swarup Biswas, general secretary of Suruchi Sangha said.

Biswas said that some 350-odd banners are set up in Kolkata and adjoining areas advertising Durga Puja of Suruchi Sangha. He claimed that the budget of the Puja will go up by nearly 30 per cent for discarding plastic flexes and banners but they are ready to execute the same to stick to their commitment to environmental causes. “Lead free colour will be used to the best extent possible for the canvas,” he added.

The club also unveiled its catchline “Ma Tor Eki Ange Eto Rup”. Gouranga Kuila, who is the theme artist for the Puja, said that Suruchi is the torch bearer in this green initiative and if the other community pujas in the city follow suit, then the issue of plastic pollution will be addressed to a reasonable extent.

A group of climate activists has recently launched a campaign to make the common people, particularly the Puja organisers, aware of the harmful effects of plastic flexes and banners that flood the city during the festive season.

The campaign titled ‘Prakritir Puja, Praner Pujo’ is also aimed at drawing the attention of state Pollution Control Board and Kolkata Municipal Corporation to regulate such flexes and vinyl banners, or at least dispose them off in a manner so that they can be reused since these PVC (polyvinyl chloride) banners are not recyclable.