After years of debate over the use of environmentally hazardous materials like baked clay, Plaster of Paris and toxic paints in the making of Durga Puja idols, pandal committees in the Capital are taking unto themselves to use only environment friendly materials in the making of pandals and idols to protect the environment.
“We will not immerse the idols in Ganga. We have created a small pond in the pandal of Pocket 56 where the visarjan will take place,” said Ashim Banerjee, spokesperson of Durga Puja Samiti, CR Park. Also when inflation is sky high, organisers of Durga Puja are feeling the pinch, claiming that this time the cost of raw material, labour and other essential items has shot up by nearly 10 per cent to 15 per cent. The committees are having to cut corners to slay the demon of price rise.
“We are struggling to manage finances. Expenses have shot through the roof. The budget this time has exceeded Rs 40 lakh. Moreover, we also serve bhog to at least 10,000 people daily and this eats into our budget,” said another committee member. But not all is grim. With dhak, dhol and devotion in the air, Delhi’s mini Bengal Chittaranjan Park is abuzz with activity.
