Paper plates made by women in Sunderbans sent overseas

The paper plate manufacturing project by Kolkata Society for Cultural Heritage in collaboration with the state Forest department has become global during the Puja this year. 

MP | 29 Sept 2022 | Kolkata: The paper plates on which 'khichudi bhog' will be served to the guests at a community centre in Eindhoven, a major city in Netherlands, have been made by the women in the delta islands of Sunderbans. 

The paper plate manufacturing project by Kolkata Society for Cultural Heritage in collaboration with the state Forest department has become global during the Puja this year. 

Eindhoven is a major city in the North Brabant provice in the Netherlands. IndoDutch Care Foundation, based in The Hague, has connected the Kolkata Society for Cultural Heritage to the organisers of Eindhoven Sharodotsav, one of the most popular Durga pujas in the Netherlands. 

The committee had ordered 3500 set of plates, cups and bowls made of paper. The consignment has reached Eindhoven. KSCH had set up paper plates manufacturing units at Jharkhali in Basanti block and on the Bali island in Gosaba block in August 2021. 

The units stsrted with 40 local village women whose number has gone upto 140 in course of time. Indodutch care Foundation was set up in May 2020 in the wake of cyclone Amphan. Initially the project targeted to manufacture 600 paper plates per day I September 2021. 

Now, the manufacture has gone upto 14,000 papper plates per day,said Sourav Mukherjee, founder of KSCH. 

The project is being funded by the state Forest department. Milan Mandal, DFO, South 24-Parganas said various steps have been taken by the state Forest department to make the women self reliant. 

The introduction of paper plates has reduced the use of plastic plates significantly. 

http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/paper-plates-made-by-women-in-sunderbans-sent-overseas-494400