A COMMUNITY’s language, customs, and traditions form its identity, and for them to thrive, they must be preserved responsibly, with care for the environment, says State Housing and Environment Committee chairman Datuk Seri Sundarajoo Somu.
He shared this in view of the upcoming Masi Maga Theppa Thiruvizha, also known as the Floating Chariot Festival, which will be celebrated at Sri Singamuga Kaliamman Temple in Teluk Bahang on March 2.
“We urge devotees to use fully biodegradable floats during the festival, as these will eventually dissolve in the water, unlike non-biodegradable floats, which end up as trash in the sea.
“This year, we aim to completely stop the use of non-biodegradable floats during the festival,” Sundarajoo said during a press conference at Sri Singamuga Kaliamman Temple today.
Apart from that, Sundarajoo also shared that during the festival, nearly 2,000 reusable bags from the Penang Green Council will be distributed to devotees to encourage zero-plastic usage, as part of the state’s ongoing green agenda.
Meanwhile, Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) education officer N.V Subbarow appealed to devotees to abstain from using styrofoam or any type of polystrene or plastic-based materials for the lamps.
Subbarow also promoted the use of eco-friendly floats, such as plates made from betel nut tree leaves, paddy husks, and banana stems, to float the lights. He added that natural oil lamps on banana stems float well and biodegrade easily in the sea.
A. Kanabathy, chairman of Sri Singamuga Kaliamman Temple in Teluk Bahang, also echoed the views of Sundarajoo and Subbarow, urging devotees to avoid buying non-biodegradable floats, considering their impact on the marine ecosystem.
A. Tharman, chairman of MHS Penang, thanked the state government, Sri Singamuga Kaliamman Temple management, and CAP for their collaboration in championing a ‘Green Theppa Thiruvizha’.
Some of the pictures taken during the press conference :-
Story & Pix by Tanushalini Moroter