Kolkata artisans ditch thermocol, synthetic paints for eco-friendly Durga idols

This year, several artisans in Kolkata’s Kumartuli ditched thermocol and synthetic paints for Durga Puja idols, opting for bamboo, straw, clay and shola to protect the Hooghly river. Thermocol and plastic are slow to biodegrade and pollute the river. “Thermocol and chemical colours came later because they were cheaper...but I'm going back to what was here before,” an artisan said.