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Seven regional toppers and four Hall of Fame pujas to vie for top green awards

25 judges, including consulate members, environmentalists and experts, to judge the pujas on Sashthi and Saptami

The Plurals News Network Published 30.09.22, 11:22 PM
Hindustan Park Sarbojonin

Hindustan Park Sarbojonin The Plurals

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).

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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

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

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

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

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

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.

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