Suchitwa Mission Steps in with ‘Green Pongala, Safe Pongala’ Drive

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Suchitwa Mission has stepped in with a set of green protocol to be followed during the famous Pongala Festival of Attukal Bhagavathi temple in the city on February 25 to ensure that the event that witnesses convergence of thousands of women devotees is conducted in a safe and clean manner.

The central theme of the campaign launched to ensure total adherence to the guidelines is “Green Pongala, Safe Pongala—worship without harming nature.’

Suchitwa Mission is running the campaign in association with the support of the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation and the Attukal Bhagavathi Temple Trust.
Avoiding single-use plastics and other kind of disposables including paper products during the festival is the central thrust of the campaign.

A letter containing the guidelines to be followed during the Pongala ritual and all festivities connected to the event has been handed over to the temple management. The guidelines and the action plan were drawn up based on meetings held at the office of the Local Self Governments Minister Shri M B Rajesh, the District Collectorate and the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation since February 10, Suchitwa Mission’s Thiruvananthapuram District Coordination Committee said.

Devotees have been urged to strictly avoid plastic and other use-and-throw materials during the Pongala. Only steel plates and steel glasses should be used for distribution of food and drinking water. Inspection has been stepped up to ensure that banned materials are not used and violators promptly imposed with fines.

The devotees should avoid bringing plastic covers and polluting materials to the spot. In case, any such material happens to be at their possession due to unavoidable reasons, it should be taken back instead of throwing them around.

A hashtag campaign with posters has been mounted on social media highlighting the central theme and the guidelines to be followed by organisers of food distribution drives, shop owners and voluntary groups. Seeking to enhance awareness on the matter, a vehicle campaign was also flagged off by Suchitwa Mission Executive Director U V Jose and Attukal Temple Trust President V Sobha.

A ‘Plastic-free Pongala’ campaign has also been launched jointly with the District Collectorate and Information Bureau and training given to the ‘Green Army’ to be deployed by the Corporation during the event. A focussed awareness campaign was also organised for shop owners on the matter.

Suchitwa Mission has deployed Resource Persons in various locations in the city to support the Green Army on the festival day. Joint inspections with the Corporation officials are being conducted to ensure that the green protocol is followed to the last detail. This has been stepped up two days ahead of the Pongala and during the event.