WB gears for thermocol-free Durga Puja; draws mixed reactions from organisers

The Centre banned the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of identified single use plastic items including thermocol, all across the country from July 1

Kolkata is gearing up for the upcoming Durga Puja celebrations with puja committees across the state ready to shun the usage of thermocol for decorative purposes.

The move has opened up several challenges for organisers ahead of the puja celebrations (File image)

This development comes after the central government banned the use of thermocol for decorative purposes from July 1.

The Centre banned the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of identified single use plastic items, that have low utility and high littering potential, all across the country from July 1.

Thermocol was also on the list of banned items.

However, the move has opened up several challenges for organisers ahead of the puja celebrations.

“A ban imposed just 90 days before the biggest festival has come as a challenge as majority of the puja pandals in Kolkata and its outskirts depend on thermocol to decorate and depict the colourful themes. At least 90% of the small and middle-budget puja pandals depend on this material as it is cheaper,” said Kajol Sarkar, president of the Forum for Durgotsav, an umbrella organisation for around 500 pujas in Kolkata and its adjoining areas.

Thermocol contains a thermoplastic compound called polystyrene. It is obtained by the polymerisation of styrene or phenylethene, which has properties similar to polythene. This makes the material harmful as it renders the soil infertile when dumped and releases toxic fumes when burnt.

Many puja committees in Kolkata and in other districts have already decided to shun thermocol after the ban. This has however, pushed up their budget.

“Our puja turns 95 this year. We had planned to use thermocol to depict the theme of our pandal and the work had started in June. But after the material was banned on July 1, we had to change our plans. Now we are using iron instead. This has pushed our budget to some extent. But that’s fine because thermocol would have caused harm to the environment,” said Suman Bhattacharya, general secretary of Bakulbagan Sarbojonin Durgotsav at Bhowanipore in south Kolkata.

The theme of this year’s Beliaghata Sarkarkbajar Milan Sangha puja in east Kolkata is ‘colours of autumn’ and artisans had already completed 60% of the work with thermocol before the ban was announced.

“After thermocol was banned, we had to change our plans entirely. We have told the artisan to use eco-friendly materials and now instead of thermocol we are using bamboo filings, clay and jute to portray our theme,” said Sujit Ghosh, the committee’s treasurer.

Puja organisers of Ashwininagar Bandhu Mahal in the northern fringes of the city have also decided to shun thermocol this year even though the decision could push their budget up by around ₹2 lakh.

“We were using thermocol to carve out motifs and statues which one usually finds in a temple. Our mandap is being built in the shape of a temple. But soon after the order came on July 1, we decided to change our plans and instead use ply and fibre,” said Swarup Nag, spokesperson of the puja committee.

In other districts too, puja committees have decided to abide by the ban and use alternative material even though the decision requires last minute change in plans which will increase their budget.

“This year we aren’t using thermocol. Instead, we will depend on sun-board and ply board in the decoration of the puja pandal. Our budget has shot up for this,” said Tapas Pal, secretary of Raghunathganj Sahebbazar Sports Association at Berhampore in Murshidabad district.

A section of the artisans, who decorate and design the pandals, feel that it will be a big challenge as time is too short and last-minute changes will push up budgets of puja committees which may come as an additional burden for small and middle budget pujas.

“In low and middle-budget pujas, thermocol was the main material with which artisans used to decorate the pandals and depict the themes. Now if there are last-minute changes it may push up budgets. The government could have given some time,” said Subho Pal, an artisan.

“Even though I have never used thermocol, a ban will definitely become a challenge for many pujas and artisans. But artisans will find other innovative ways to use alternative materials like bamboo, paper pulp, jute, iron and wood. But the artisans must also be given time to cope up,” said Sanatan Dina, a noted artist and painter who is working on three pandals this year.

The ban has also come as a blessing in disguise for the sholapith artisans who were pushed to the brink because of the thermocol industry.

Sholapith is obtained from a plant and was used by artisans for ages. But as the plant grows in wetlands and marshy areas, the loss of such wetlands and the blooming thermocol industry affected the livelihood of sholapith artisans.

“Now that thermocol has been banned, we think that the sholapith industry will get a boost. We have already got a few orders this year of items made out of shola. Earlier, the order mainly used to come for thermocol based materials,” said Bunty, a shola artisan from Raidighi in South 24 Parganas.

The West Bengal Pollution Control Board too said that puja committees will have to give an undertaking this year that they won’t use thermocol.

“The notification of the ban is already in the public domain for the puja committees to check. Like every year, puja committees will have to obtain licenses and permits from various departments including fire services, police, pollution control board and the civic body among others, through a single window. This year, we would ask them to give them an undertaking to shun thermocol,” said Kalyan Rudra, chairman of the state pollution control board.

Chief minister Mamata Banerjee is likely to hold a meeting with puja committees on Monday to lay out this year’s plans for the grand puja celebration this year.

Around 37,000 community pujas are organised across the state every year. Of these, around 2,500 are held in Kolkata. Apart from this, there are pujas that are organised at individual houses on a smaller scale.

According to a study commissioned by the state government in 2018, the economic value of the creative industries that crop up around the Durga Puja – the biggest festival in West Bengal – is worth ₹32,377 crore.

This year, more people are looking forward to the puja celebrations after the biggest festival of West Bengal received the heritage tag accorded by UNESCO.