Durga Puja Award for noble cause of polio eradication

Kolkata, Oct 5: With a view to spreading awareness on polio eradication campaign, Rotary Interantinoal plans to award Durga Puja committees for their initiative in this regard.

Rotary International in collaboration with Shalimar Paints Ltd organised the Shalimar Paints Rotary Sharod Swikriti Award, 2007.

Addressing a press conference here yesterday, Rotary International district governor Aniruddha Roy Choudhuery said, ''Polio has still not been fully eradicted from India. Many cases of polio has been discovered in Orissa, northern Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh. Therefore, to prevent its further spread to Bengal, among other states, and also stop its virus from entering the state through its border with Bangladesh, we have come up with this initiative.

One of the main criteria for the Durga Puja committees to qualify for this competition would be to organise polio awareness campaigns at a strategic location from where it can can get maximum coverage.'' Shalimar Paints Ltd Chairman S K Chatterjee, who was also present on the occasion, said, ''Unlike other award programmes, our programme lays emphasis on service to humanity.''

The judgment process would favour those puja committees who carry out several community and human welfare-oriented programmes and projects throughout the year. Besides, the aesthetic beauty of the idols, illumination, safety arrangement, environment safegaurd, theme and overall ambience will also be taken into account.

Elaborating on the programme, Rotary International Chairperson Dipali Dutta said, ''The city and its suburbs will be divided into eight zones and the first three puja pandals in each zone will be awarded. Each zone will be judged by celebrities and other eminent personalities from different fields.

The award programme will be held here on October 28 at a glittering ceremony here.

UNI