States » EastPosted at: Oct 8 2026 5:31PM


Bengal govt unveils Green Durga Puja awards, puts waste segregation at heart of festive competition

Kolkata, Oct 8 (UNI) West Bengal has introduced a new state-wide competition to make Durga Puja greener, cleaner and more community-driven, with waste segregation, sustainable materials and environmental awareness forming the core of the Green Durga Puja Excellence Awards 2026.
Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Minister Agnimitra Paul announced the awards on Thursday, calling on puja committees across the state to turn the festival into a platform for environmental responsibility rather than limiting green practices to individual initiatives.
“We want the worship of the divine to become an inclusive, environment-friendly and citizen-centric social movement,” Paul said at a press conference at Nagaryan Bhavan in Salt Lake.
The awards, being organised through the State Urban Development Agency (SUDA), will recognise puja committees in four categories — Best Green Puja, Best Clean and Waste-Smart Puja, Best Awareness Initiative and Community Engagement Award.
The Best Green Puja category will assess the use of environment-friendly materials in pandals and idols, energy-efficient lighting and responsible immersion practices. The clean and waste-smart category will focus particularly on scientific waste collection and segregation, efficient waste management and cleanliness around puja premises.
“We do not want to reward only the appearance of a puja. We want to recognise the responsibility shown by puja committees towards the environment and the community,” Paul said.
The awareness category will recognise innovative campaigns around issues such as plastic pollution and water conservation. The community engagement award will cover initiatives including tree plantation, participation of self-help groups and efforts to recognise the contribution of sanitation workers.
The government said the evaluation would be conducted through a dedicated Green Durga Puja Evaluation App, with committees assessed at municipal, district and state levels. Entries shortlisted at the district level will progress to the state-level evaluation.
“We have already received a large number of applications. We want today's announcement to reach every district so that all puja committees organising sustainable and environment-friendly celebrations can participate,” Paul said.
The state-level winner will receive Rs 1 lakh, while the first and second runners-up will receive Rs 80,000 and Rs 50,000, respectively. The best puja committee in each district will receive Rs 25,000, along with a certificate and an environment-friendly memento.
Paul said the winning committees would subsequently serve as Green Community Ambassadors in their localities for a year, promoting environmental protection and civic responsibility.
UNI SEN BM
Tags: #Bengal govt unveils Green Durga Puja awards# puts waste segregation at heart of festive competition
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