A Zero-Waste Durga Puja initiative to promote waste segregation, recycling and responsible celebrations across leading puja pandals
Staff Reporter : Kolkata, 16th October 2026: As the city comes alive for Durga Puja, the Indian Plastics Federation (IPF) and Kolkata-based business conglomerate 
Tandhan Group are taking a step towards making the eastern metropolis’ biggest celebration a little greener with a Zero-Waste Durga Puja initiative across select puja pandals.
Inspired by the vision of Swachh Bharat and Swachh Bengal championed by our Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal, Shri Suvendu Adhikari, the initiative aims to encourage responsible waste management during the festivities, with a strong focus on waste segregation and recycling.
The initiative has received the full support and encouragement of the Hon’ble Chief Minister in this endeavour. IPF and Tandhan Group are also working closely with the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and have received their support and cooperation towards successfully implementing the initiative.
Participating Durga Puja Pandals
The initiative will cover the following seven prominent Durga Puja pandals:
1. Tala Prottoy
2. College Square
3. Harish Park Bayam Samiti
4. Abasar Sarbojonin Durgotsab Samiti, Bhawanipur
5. Shingi Park
6. Mudiali
7. Salt Lake Central Park
The initiative is built around a simple idea — that celebrating together can also mean taking collective responsibility for the shared spaces. By working closely with Puja committees, volunteers, vendors and visitors, Tandhan Group and IPF aim to make waste segregation, recycling and responsible waste management an integral part of the festivities
As part of the initiative, dedicated waste collection and segregation bins will be placed at participating pandals, food-stall areas and other high-footfall points. Volunteers will support the collection and segregation of waste throughout the celebrations, helping ensure that different types of waste are directed towards the right channels.
Plastic waste collected through the initiative will be sent for appropriate processing and recycling, with the aim of giving it a second life through useful recycled products such as tables and chairs. Organic waste, including food waste, will be directed towards composting, manure and eco-friendly fertilisers, wherever feasible.
The initiative will be introduced at each participating pandal on the respective date of its inauguration, allowing the waste-management measures to become part of the celebrations right from the beginning.
Speaking about the initiative, Mr. Amit Agarwal, President, Indian Plastics Federation, said: “At IPF, we have been urging people to say ‘Know’ to plastics rather than ‘No’ to plastics. Plastic is not the problem; how we use and dispose of it is. We have been taking this message to schools across Kolkata, teaching children about proper segregation and disposal of waste, and the Zero-Waste Durga Puja now carries it from the classroom to the pandals. Durga Puja belongs to everyone, and with lakhs of people coming together across the city, it is the best opportunity to show this in practice. Through this initiative, we want to make waste segregation and recycling an easy and visible part of the celebrations. IPF and Tandhan Group are happy to be partners in keeping our city cleaner and greener.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Ms. Prachi Jalan, Director, Tandhan Group, said: “The scale of the Durga Puja celebrations makes it important for us to think about the impact we leave behind. We are grateful for the support and encouragement received from the Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal, as well as the cooperation extended by the Kolkata Municipal Corporation and Bidhannagar Municipal Corporation. This initiative makes an honest attempt to influence the collective psyche of the people of West Bengal that sustainability can begin with simple, everyday actions — putting the right waste in the right bin, segregating responsibly and ensuring that recyclable waste gets a second life. Through this joint initiative by Tandhan Group and the Indian Plastics Federation, we hope to make responsible waste management a natural part of the Puja experience and encourage people to participate in creating cleaner, greener celebrations.” Speaking about the initiative, Dr. Subrata Gupta, Chief advisor to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal, said: “As we celebrate Durga Puja, let us remember that the festival is also about responsibility. While we come together in joy, we must ensure that our environment is not marred by carelessly discarded waste. I appeal to everyone to collect waste and dispose of it responsibly. The initiative by the Tandhan Group and the Indian Plastics Federation and to create awareness among puja revellers across seven pandals in the city is a very welcome move. I hope this beginning grows into a larger movement in the years to come. I wish them all the very best and urge everyone to participate.”
The initiative reflects a shared commitment by IPF and Tandhan Group to bring sustainability closer to communities and demonstrate that celebration and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand. With the support of government bodies, civic authorities, Puja committees and citizens, the initiative aims to leave behind not just memories of the festivities, but also a cleaner and more responsible footprint.
About Indian Plastics Federation
The Indian Plastics Federation (IPF) is an industry body representing stakeholders across the plastics ecosystem and works towards promoting the responsible growth and development of the plastics sector, including greater awareness around recycling, resource efficiency and sustainable practices.
About Tandhan Group
Tandhan Group is a Kolkata-based diversified business conglomerate with interests spanning protective solutions, energy solutions, textiles and hospitality. The Group is committed to building businesses with a focus on responsible growth, innovation and long-term value creation, with a focus on shaping legacies in modern manufacturing.
