The civic authorities have decided to use the occasion of Durga puja to involve councillors and other residents of the 141 wards in maintaining their areas.

The Calcutta Municipal Corporation (CMC) is all set to organise a contest — Purasree Samman — among the 15 boroughs, of which the best three will be awarded.

Over 1,200 community pujas are held in the city each year. This is a time when the people of different localities, irrespective of their social status, organise pujas.

“We want this spirit of amity to last longer and utilise it for the upkeep of the localities,” said mayor Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya.

Along with awarding the best three boroughs, the civic body will publicise the names of the worst-performing boroughs, added the mayor.

“A three-member committee will be formed and it has been decided that the former director-general (project and development) of the CMC, Manoj Majumdar, will be on the panel representing the civic body,” municipal commissioner Alapan Bandyopadhyay said on Wednesday.

Apart from the idols, pandal decoration, lighting and other aesthetic factors, the overall cleanliness of the area and maintenance of the roads, pavements and parks will also come under the purview of the judgment, which will reflect the awareness of the residents about the need to properly maintain their localities.

The prizes to be awarded are yet to be decided. The CMC is considering allotting additional funds for the upkeep of the winning boroughs.

The CMC had taken up an initiative to award the best pujas in the city during Subrata Mukherjee’s tenure as mayor. But it had to be abandoned after a year, following a controversy over the selection process.