Thermocol ban just ahead of Durga puja puts artists in a fix

The Centres ban on thermocol polystyrene just three months ahead of the Durga Puja festival has put artisans of West Bengal in a fix as they use that product for long to decorate pandals and embellish ornaments of the idolsThe artists feel that it would have been better had the government launched an awareness campaign among them about the items bad effect on the environment and given time to them to find out an alternative productThe Government of India from July 1 banned the manufacture import stocking distribution sale and use of identified singleuse plastic items such as plates cups and straws besides polystyreneThermocol is a synthetic polymer often used in protective packaging thermal insulation and decorating various items However it is not biodegradable and thus not environmentfriendlyAlso Read Mumbai BMC to impose Rs 5000 fine for plastic ban violationInternationally known artist Sanatan Dinda welcomed the move but said artisans should have been given some time for the transformationMost people go for thermocolbased decorations They should have been trained first and then the ban should have been imposedhe saidI used thermocol in the past but shunned it a long time ago In this years puja I am using iron paper different kinds of clay and fibreglass for my work said Dinda who is bringing alive the concept of a couple of Durga pujas in KolkataArtist Pradip Das also supported the governments decisionThe government also must ensure that thermocol is not manufactured People cannot use it if it is not available in the market Das said adding that he is using pieces of cloth to give shape to the theme for another puja organiser in the cityEvery year many puja organisers choose a theme mainly social issues and use their pandals idols and lighting arrangements to depict itChairman of West Bengal Pollution Control Board Kalyan Rudra said everyone has to comply with the rules laid down by the Government of IndiaRanjit Sarkar an artisan who creates various items with thermocol as a base besides making embellishments for ornaments for idols said nothing much can be done this year as most of the items have already been preparedWe will have to think of other materials instead of thermocol now The government should have thought about it a long time ago Many people will be affected due to the ban and shifting to other materials will take time he saidThis is a great move yet a campaign should have been organised before the ban feels artist Bhabotosh SutarBesides environmental pollution scattered pieces of thermocol also cause visual pollution especially after the pujas he saidAccording to him a substitute for thermocol is required now It can be Shola which is a natural product It is harvested from shola plant that grows in marshy land Sutar saidShola Aeschynomene aspera is available in various places in West Bengal and many people are engaged in creating artworks made of itHowever shola is much costlier compared to thermocol and the production cost will go up if it is used as an alternative material the artists saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever