Shimla, Aug 12 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh's first-ever Zero Waste Tribal Festival is scheduled to be held from August 14 to 16 at Keylong in Lahaul-Spiti district, officials said on Tuesday.
The event will not only celebrate the vibrant tribal heritage of the region, but also set a new benchmark for environmentally responsible festivities in the state, an official statement said.
The deputy commissioner of Lahaul-Spiti, Kiran Bhadana, said the 'zero waste' vision of the festival will be brought to life through various initiatives, including a ban on plastic bottles and disposable cutlery to promote the use of biodegradable cutlery.
She said plastic banners will be replaced by cloth-based banners, while marked bins would be installed for waste segregation at multiple points for different waste types.
'Heritage Echoes Pavilion', a creatively designed space dedicated to the art, craft and living traditions of tribal communities, will be a special attraction during the festival, the statement said.
In collaboration with the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India, tribal artisans will be provided a prominent platform to showcase and sell their handcrafted products, handlooms and traditional cuisines, ensuring both cultural preservation and livelihood promotion, it added.
The cultural segment, supported by the North Zone Cultural Centre, will feature performing troupes from Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Gujarat and Uttarakhand, the statement said.
These will be complemented by performances from Lahaul and Spiti, Pangi and other parts of Himachal Pradesh, making the festival a blend of local and national tribal artistry, it added.