Kamal Residency, Green Park, Sonarpur: “We celebrated this festival of togetherness by involving all our members. On Ashtami, 15 residents of an old-age home had bhog with us. We also gifted them clothes,” says Joydeep Ghosh, secretary, puja committee.

 

EC Block, Salt Lake: “We did our best to make it a neat and clean Puja by adopting all the necessary measures specified by Festival of Joy, be it banning plastic or preventing anyone from littering.We will also donate funds to Bharat Sevashram Sangha,” says Biman Roy, the secretary of EC Block Abashik Samiti.

 

Club Town Estate, Dum Dum: Debabrata Guha of Club Town Estate says: “The pandal has been constructed 40ft from the meter room. The puja area is a No Smoking zone and we are trying to avoid using plastic. We will distribute 100 saris to the needy at a nearby temple.”

 

Uttarayan Apartment, Dum Dum Road: “We have round-the-clock security in the complex and fire-protection measures are in place. There is a separate entrance for senior citizens,” says Pradip Dey, secretary, puja committee.

 

 

Clubtown Residency, Rathtala: “We have checked all wires in the pandal and used LEDs to minimise power consumption. The colours used on the idol are all lead-free. We have also made provisions for toilets near the mandap,” says Subhashish Chakraborty, puja committee secretary.

 

Shrachi Garden, Nagendranath Road: “We have gifted nine senior citizens stoles. We will try to ensure that all domestics and staff members in the complex receive quilts. We have put in place fire-safety measures during Puja and are keeping an eye on proper garbage disposal,” says Mita Chakraborty, cultural convener, Shrachi Garden.

Animikha Apartment (C & D blocks), New Town: “An electrician has checked wires in the pandal. We have fire-safety devices, adequate water and sand ready. Volunteers are looking after the elderly and the disabled. We have a wheelchair ready too,” says Pradip Kumar Sarkar, a member of the puja committee.

 

Animika Abasan, New Town: “Ours is a homely puja, where all the residents are getting together to have fun responsibly. We have all basic safety measures in place. We have conducted health and blood donation camps for the needy,” says Debashish Banerjee, the secretary of the housing society.

 

Shree Abashan, New Town: “We have left enough open space around the pandal to accommodate 250 chairs. Our volunteers are taking care of the elderly and disabled residents. We also invited underprivileged children to have bhog with us,” says Tarun Mukherjee, chief adviser, Shree Abashan Sarodotsav Committee.

 

Millennium Tower, New Town: “We have adhered to most of the pointers given by Festival of Joy, from fire-safety measures, designating entry and exit points to reserving a separate, elevated space for senior citizens and the disabled. We have donated clothes and money to Ramakrishna Mission and distributed books to needy kids,” says Ashit Ranjan Roy, the president of the puja committee.

Greenwood Park, New Town: “This is our fifth Durga Puja celebration. We held a workshop to spread awareness on HIV-AIDS while our young residents organised an extempore on social issues. We looked into fire safety and cleanliness too,” says Samir Kumar Mitra, a member of the puja committee.

 

Oxford View, Diamond Harbour Road: “We will donate a part of the puja collection to a nearby orphanage. The children of the orphanage were invited to some of our cultural functions. Our volunteers helped police man the stretch of road in front of our complex,” says P.K. Dutta, joint secretary, puja committee.

 

Purti Apartments, New Alipore: “On Ashtami, we invited some underprivileged people to have lunch in our complex. Everyone is very involved in organising and taking part in the cultural programmes,” says Navneet Bajaj, a member of the puja committee.

 

Mangalam Park, Ho Chi Minh Sarani: “No Smoking signs, first-aid facilities, fire-prevention equipment, ban on plastic are some of the ways we are trying to make this a Festival of Joy. At our help desk, all emergency numbers are readily available. The first 20 seats have been reserved for elderly and disabled residents,” says Srimati Deb, joint secretary, puja committee.

City High, Prince Anwar Shah Road: “All communities who live in our complex take part in the Puja celebrations. We invited some senior citizens to join us for lunch and enjoy the cultural programmes,” says Snehashish Roychowdhury, cultural secretary, puja committee.

 

New Alipore Residency, Roy Bahadur Road: “Even though Bengalis are a minority in the building, all other communities join in to make the Puja days eventful. Use of plastic is prohibited. The committee donates Rs 10,000 to charitable institutions,” says K.K. Pal, a member of the puja committee.

 

Golf Tower, Lake Gardens: “We take special care of elderly residents whose children stay away. During Puja, we keep sound levels within the permissible limit, particularly after 10pm. Smoking is banned in the puja area,” says Chandra Banerjee, a member of the puja committee.

 

Diamond City West, Ho Chi Minh Sarani: “This is our second Durga Puja. We have donated clothes to the needy. We have engaged the services of an electrician during the Puja days for emergency. We have kept fire extinguishers and the community room has been reserved for the elderly,” says Aniruddha Sinha, a member of the puja committee.

Sneha Garden, New Alipore: “We have fire extinguishers, provision for drinking water and first-aid. The kids of the complex have put up anti-smoking posters. We have organised an eye check-up camp for the domestics in our apartment,” says Sunil Harlalka, cultural coordinator, puja committee.

 

Swaranika Cooperative Housing Society Ltd, Behala: “The women of the complex have taken the responsibility of organising the puja this year. We have conducted an eye check-up camp for senior citizens,” says Chhanda Deb Barman, cultural secretary, puja committee.

 

Fortune City, Madhyamgram: “Cleanliness is our primary concern. We maintain separate bins for puja waste and other garbage. The use of plastic or spitting inside the complex is banned and any defaulter will have to pay a penalty,” says Susmita Das, vice-president, puja committee.

 

Salboni Housing Complex, Milk Colony, Belgachhia: “We have taken special care for the elderly in the complex. We have donated 150 T-shirts to local rickshawpullers,” says Sandip Basu Thakur, secretary, puja committee.

 

Greenwood Park Extension, New Town: Sagar Sen, the founder of the puja, says: “We’ve decided to raise money for a wheelchair for the ailing and aged that will be available for use by all residents and those staying in the neighbourhood. We have made the pandal a plastic-free green zone.”

 

Duke Residency, Tollygunge: “The kids have put up No Smoking signs and posters with messages on social awareness. We are trying to keep aside some money from the puja budget to help the needy,” says Anindita Sen, president, puja committee.

 

Shrachi Village, Madhyamgram: “The elderly residents are encouraged to take part in the cultural events. We invited some underprivileged children to come and enjoy bhog with us. We have adhered to all fire-safety norms,” says Bhaskar Sen Sharma, food secretary, puja committee.

 

Girikunj Apartment, New Alipore: “The residents are very much involved in organising the cultural programmes. All members have been urged to donate clothes to the needy,” says D.P. Sahi, a member of the puja committee.

 

Mahavir Vikas, Salt Lake: “Safety and security measures are our top priority. A doctor was available all four days of the Puja. We’ve arranged for a generator and drinking water,” says Sandip Kumar Goswami of Mahavir Vikas Puja Committee.

 

Ideal Tower, Diamond Harbour Road: “We will distribute clothes among underprivileged children. The women and children of the complex are in charge of organising most of the programmes,” says S. F. Karim, secretary, puja committee.

 

Anand Bihar, Nager Bazar: “We have been associated with programmes by The Telegraph for four years. We make it a point to raise funds for the needy. Cultural programmes happen on every Puja day,” says Biswajit Das, vice-president, puja committee.

 

Ujjwala The Condoville, New Town: “We are keeping emergency contact numbers at hand. Fire extinguishers are kept inside the pandal. We are collecting money for the needy,” says Chaitali Dutta Chowdhury, a member of the puja committee.

 

Sunrise Point, New Town: Manish Thakkar, the joint secretary, says: “We’ve said no to plastic. We have arranged for fire extinguishers and designated seats for senior citizens and disabled residents in the puja area.”

 

 

Malancha Abasan, BT Road, Sinthee: Puja committee member Pintu Roy Chowdhury says: “Ours is a lively puja and each resident is an integral part of the festivities. We are very sensitive to the needs of the aged and the disabled residents. We have kept a wheelchair handy.”

Diamond Enclave, Behala: Puja committee member Kamal Dhariwal says: “We have arranged for basic safety with fire extinguishers and security guards. Everyone in the complex participates in the festivities.”

 

Bangur Complex, New Alipore: Raja Guha, the secretary of the puja committee, says: “We have planted trees at every five metres. There are fire extinguishers and a ready supply of water to tackle an emergency.”

 

 

Sarobar, Southern Avenue: Says Sugata Ranjan Chaki, chairman, puja committee: “We keep a first-aid box and fire extinguishers handy all year round. We have ensured that everyone works together to make the puja eco-friendly.”