Kozhikode's 91 local bodies compete in district-wide Pookalam contest for prize money

Ninety-one local self-government institutions across Kozhikode district will participate in a district-wide Pookalam competition on August 22, with the winning team set to receive ₹1 lakh and a trophy.

The Department of Tourism, District Tourism Promotion Council (DTPC), and the district administration are jointly organising the event, which will run from 9 a.m. to noon and group grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities, and Kozhikode Corporation into 11 clusters. Second- and third-placed teams will be awarded ₹50,000 and ₹25,000 respectively, along with trophies, while special trophies and certificates will go to the top three in various categories.

Green materials only, plastic banned

Participants must use only natural materials to create their floral carpets, with plastic, artificial colours, and synthetic materials strictly prohibited under the competition's environment-friendly guidelines. Each local body may field a team of three to five members.

Live monitoring to ensure fair play

The judging process will employ multiple verification methods including live video monitoring, geotagged photographs, video scanning, and physical verification to maintain transparency.

Registration for the competition remains open until August 21 at the office of the Joint Director of the Local Self Government Department. The initiative aims to bring all local bodies in the district together on a common platform to showcase their creativity and celebrate Onam, according to a press release issued on Wednesday.

The event is expected to highlight the collective creativity and environmental consciousness of local self-government institutions as part of the district's Onam celebrations.

Source: The Hindu