Durga puja organisers opt for discarded coconut shells

To spread the message of sustainable development, organisers of a Durga puja here are using discarded coconut shells to deck up a marquee.

At the Chaltabagan Lohapatty Durga puja at Manicktala in north Kolkata, the pandal will be shaped like a huge clay lamp.

Artists from rural pockets of Digha and Contai in East Midnapore district are crafting the entire structure from discarded coconut shells to generate awareness on recycling, the organisers said on Tuesday.

Master craftsman Sutanu Maity and his team of artisans have been working for the past five months to complete the structure before the puja's inaugural on October 11.