Durga Puja in Odisha: BMC issues eco-friendly guidelines for plastic-free celebration in Bhubaneswar

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued a guideline to all Durga Puja mandaps under its jurisdiction to promote an eco-friendly celebration while eliminating the use of plastic. Emphasizing a plastic-free festival, BMC mandates the use of natural colours for idols and biodegradable materials for serving prasad.

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To promote eco-friendly Durga Puja celebration, the BMC has directed the puja committees to use natural colours in the idols to minimise environmental pollution. Besides, it also directed to immerse the idols of the Goddess at dedicated temporary water bodies constructed by the corporation.

Moreover, the civic body has advised the puja committees to use bio-degradable paper plates, cups, banana leaves, and cups made up of soil instead of plastics while serving the prasad to the devotees.

In the guideline, the BMC has also urged to place an adequate number of dustbins at the puja pandals to maintain hygiene. It also directed for deployment of security personnel for smooth darshan and arrangement for special parking to avoid traffic congestion.

The BMC also directed the puja committees to ensure adequate measures to avoid fire mishaps due to short-circuiting.