Durga Puja Footprint: VECC Study Highlights Environmental, Social Impacts

Imagine you're celebrating a big festival like Durga Puja with lots of decorations, food, and fun.

A group of scientists and volunteers wanted to see how all this celebration affects our planet and people.

They talked to people who make the idols, the priests who lead the prayers, and the organizers.

They found out that using materials like thermocol instead of traditional ones creates problems because the natural materials are hard to find.

They also learned that the colors and materials used to decorate the idols can be harmful if not handled carefully.

Even the people who clean up afterwards face risks.

The study suggests ways to make the festival more eco-friendly, like reducing plastic waste and finding better ways to reuse decorations.

They also looked at how the puja helps people earn money and how it can be made even better for those who work hard during the festival.

The goal is to make celebrations fun for everyone while being kind to the Earth.