Seven pujas have been selected as regional toppers of Serader Sera Nirmal Pujo Puroskar 2022 after two days of intense judging across the length and breadth of Kolkata. The seven pujas, along with Hall of Fame pujas, will now vie for the top honours in the Green Puja awards being sponsored by The Bengal in association with Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA), a globally known environment outfit, and My Kolkata.
The final judgement will be on October 1 and 2 (Sashthi and Saptami).
The awards were launched in 2007 by Environment Governed Integrated Organisation (EnGIO), a non-profit outfit, to help reduce environmental pollution during Puja and promote green awareness using the festival as a medium.
The Plurals team went around the pujas with the jury to find out which pujas scored on environmental and social grounds.
Zone 1: Bhawanipur and Gariahat
Total pujas judged: 12
Judged by: Educationist Anita Chattopadhyay and environmentalist Sudipta Bhattacharya
Who topped: Hindustan Park Sarbojonin Durgotsab Committee
Why: The judges liked the overall environment of the puja, particularly the use of natural colour in idol-painting as well as pandal decoration. The depiction of the hardships of women tailors also impressed the judges
Zone 2: North Kolkata
Total pujas judged: 10
Judged by: Wildlife expert Biswajit Roy Chowdhury and Punarbasu Chaudhuri, professor of Environmental Biology and Pollution Management at Calcutta University
Who topped: Hatibagan Nabin Pally
Why: A small-budget puja (Rs 6 lakh), it beautifully highlights how recycling of apparently unimportant items can become a game-changer. The puja also scored high on the use of low-power LED lights as well as roadside plantation
Hatibagan Nabin Pally The Plurals
Zone 3: Behala and Haridevpur
Total pujas judged: 10
Judged by: Two Calcutta University professors — Mahalaya Chatterjee (Urban Economics) and Pritha Bhattacharjee (Environment Science)
Who topped: Pally Unnayan Samity, Paschim Puntiary
Why: A runaway winner in the group with about 80 per cent marks, this puja scored high on the theme based on leaves as well as plastic management, low electric consumption and use of non-toxic colour
Pally Unnayan Samity The Plurals
Zone 4: Dum Dum, Tala and Baguiati
Total pujas judged: 9
Judged by: Environment experts Sasanka Deb and Sudipta Bhattacharya
Who topped: Aswininagar Bandhu Mahal Club
Why: A cut above the rest, scoring 77 per cent marks for its impressive execution of a social theme that highlights how a retired woman, a real-life character, is working overtime to feed the poor
New Santoshpur Adi Durgotsab The Plurals
Zone 5: Garia and Jadavpur
Total pujas judged: 10
Judged by: Media expert Buroshiva Dasgupta and environment activist K.S. Adhikary
Who topped: New Santoshpur Adi Durgotsab
Why: The concept at a relatively low budget (Rs 8 lakh) scored with various expressions of women being depicted using environment-friendly material, particularly soil
Manicktalla Chaltabagan Lohapatty The Plurals
Zone 6: Manicktala, Taltala, Posta, Bagmari
Total pujas judged: 10
Judged by: Two professors — Abhijit Chatterjee, an air pollution expert from Bose Institute, and Subhayan Dutta of the Environmental Science department at Asutosh College
Who topped: Manicktalla Chaltabagan Lohapatty Durgapuja Committee
Why: Scored 10 out of 10 on demonstration of environmental messages, including solar and wind power. Also got very high marks on safety, health and disaster-management arrangement
EE Block Sarodatsab The Plurals
Zone 7: Salt Lake and Beliaghata
Total pujas judged: 10
Judged by: Climate activist Rushati Das and social activist Jhumpa Ghosh
Who topped: EE Block Sarodatsab Committee
Why: Brilliantly showcased a theme that focuses on the lives of a tribal group of Odisha that integrates love for nature with their daily life; particularly the way they draw the life process of tree on silk
Four Hall of Fame pujas shortlisted
Based on long-term results and achievements made on environmental and social aspects, four city pujas — Chetla Agrani, Suruchi Sangha, Tridhara Sammilani and Shibmandir — have been selected as Hall of Fame pujas.
This year, Chetla Agrani showcases the green industry by using processed banana plant for creating the pandal, Suruchi Sangha focusses on the return of sanity after the pandemic, Tridhara highlights how the life process changes with time and Shibmandir talks about the importance of staying strong on beliefs.
All four pujas scored high on social works undertaken over the years; Tridhara being the pioneer in green immersion. The trend has caught on and last year the Kolkata Municipal Corporation organised similar green immersion on the banks of Hooghly using river water, stopping polluted effluents from reaching the river.