‘Protect forest’ message to go out from Salt Lake Durga Puja pandal to sensitise people

Kolkata: The CE Block Durga Puja in Salt Lake has joined hands with the Bengal Forest Department to shed light on the fragile state of the Sundarbans and the looming environmental threat to Kolkata. The forest department has chosen Durga Puja as the most effective platform to disseminate conservation knowledge to the masses. The Sundarbans, famous for its mangrove cover and rich biodiversity, faces imminent danger of losing its precious ecosystems because of sea-level rise, subsidence, and increasing salinity.
WBHIDCO MD and NKDA chairman Debashis Sen, has taken it upon himself to spearhead this transformative initiative as the president of the puja committee. The 44th year theme – ‘A Slice of the Sundarbans’ – aims to educate and mobilise the masses about the Sundarbans’ vulnerable state and the crucial role of mangroves in safeguarding the future of Kolkata,” said Sen, who has conceived the plan. “Mangrove acts as a natural first-line barrier that could save our city, but the general awareness is very poor for the people who visit Sundarbans. People visiting the Sundarbans dump plastic waste and damage mangroves quite extensively. What better platform than the UNESCO-tagged Durga Puja to sensitise people to this environmental concern?” he asked.
The CE Block Durga Puja ground is slowly being transformed into a replica of the Sundarbans, the world’s largest delta. The pandal designed by Amit Chatterjee mirrors the traditional art of Patachitra —the scroll paintings of the Sundarbans. “Devi Durga will be depicted in Bonobibi’s avatar. The entire pandal will immerse visitors in the dense mangrove forest, complete with boat replicas and fishing nets. The unabridged Bonobibi Pala by Sundarbans artists will be staged,” said Sourav Mukherjee of the Kolkata Society for Cultural Heritage, who is executing the project. Some mangrove species will be permanently there on the green verge, he added.
The forest department wing of South 24 Parganas has also taken an active part in the CE Block Durga Puja to create awareness about the need to save the Sundarbans for Kolkata.