Dumka: A Durga Puja pandal at Shiv Mandir Chowk in Dangal Para, Dumka, has recreated the devastation caused by floods in Nepal to warn visitors about ecological destruction and the indiscriminate exploitation of natural resources.Organised by Daninath Mandir Puja Samiti, which has been holding the festival for 47 years, the pandal portrays raging rivers, submerged and damaged houses, rescue teams in inflatable boats, mountainous terrain and settlements hemmed in by swollen water bodies. The entrance has been designed like a passage through a flood-hit landscape, allowing visitors to experience the theme as they enter the premises.The installation also carries a local message. Organisers have linked the theme to alleged illegal sand mining along the Mayurakshi river and, what they described as, the authorities’ failure to check the practice. Destruction of riverbanks and uncontrolled extraction of natural resources could have grave environmental consequences, increasing the vulnerability of settlements during extreme weather events, the committee said.Samiti secretary Rajiv Sharma said, “The theme was chosen to raise awareness about environmental degradation. The purpose was not merely to celebrate Durga Puja but also convey a social message. The devastation in Nepal showed how vulnerable human settlements could become when natural forces turned destructive.”Committee members Sapan Mandal and Jayant Saha expressed concern over the alleged activity’s potential environmental damage and sought effective monitoring by the authorities.Lighting, decorative installations and visitor facilities have been arranged with the environmental message kept central to the presentation. The pandal, decoration, lighting and other arrangements are estimated to cost between Rs 8 lakh and Rs 10 lakh.
