Kolkata: A civic body in West Bengal's North 24 Parganas, Bongaon Municipality, has sent rakhis made of water hyacinths to many global leaders, including India President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. The weed that grows in abundance in freshwater bodies in West Bengal, is known as 'Kochuripana' locally and is an uphill task for those who clean rivers, tanks, and ponds.
The self-help groups made the rakhis and dispatched them to the leaders to spread the message of brotherhood. It is also aimed at showcasing the state's efforts to make use of the biodegradable waste material for women's economic and social upliftment.
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"We have sent rakhis made of water hyacinth to President Droupadi Murmu, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the US President Joe Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau among others on the occasion of Raksha Bandhan," Bongaon Municipality chairman Gopal Seth said.
According to Seth, there are 1500 women of SHGs are putting in their efforts to make about 50 items like bags, files, and many other items from water hyacinth. They are earning at least Rs 7000 to Rs 8000 per month. A total of almost 30,000 rakhis have been made for the festival on Thursday.
