Covid effect: Flower show goes virtual
NOIDA: The city’s 35th Vasant Utsav went virtual this year as the annual flower festival kickstarted on Sunday with judges and participants interacting online due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
With petunia -- a species of flowering plant native to South America with over 20 species -as this year’s theme flower, 62 participants including corporates, residential societies, individuals, and schools, would compete under seven categories till Thursday, said the Floriculture Society of Noida, organisers of the event.
The annual fest in 2020 saw thousands of visitors thronging Noida stadium in February and enjoying their day, wtih 73 participants last year, with a number of activities and competitions.
This year, however, in the wake of the Covid-19 threat, the organisers said that they couldn’t take the risk compromising on the visitors’ health and thus decided to do away with stalls.
“The annual flower show is a much awaited festival and it’s really painful to hold the event online with 19 judges and 62 participants interacting via Whatsapp. But we had to take the decision to ensure everyone’s safety as the annual fest always saw a very impressive footfall,” said Manju Grover, general secretary of the floriculture society.
Grover said that the participants will be sending videos and pictures of their gardens or planters to the judges, based on which the winners will be selected. Also, unlike last year, this year’s participants are only from Noida and Greater Noida.
The competition categories this year include -- Roadside garden, large garden (50 square metres or more), balcony garden, corporate garden, medium garden (25 to 50 sq metres), residential society parks and clubs, school and preschool garden, and terrace garden, among others.
“We have given special emphasis to the roadside gardens which primarily are the gardens or plantations outside the residential societies. We are promoting them as they are directly linked to the swachhta mission, as it encourages residential societies to keep their peripheries or areas outside their boundaries clean and decorated,” said Grover.
Officials of the floriculture society also said that while the event is not physical, the 600member floriculture society is mulling to hold a one-day annual plant bazaar at the government nursery in Sector 8 on March 6.
“The nursery will see the members and others displaying their best planters for the purpose of trade or barter. We are still working on this plan,” added Grover.
We had to take the decision of going virtual to ensure everyone’s safety in light of Covid-19, as the annual festival sees an impressive footfall.
MANJU GROVER, gen secy, Floriculture Society of Noida