With Ganesha Chaturthi festival just around the corner, civic authorities across states have appealed to use eco-friendly Ganpati idols as per the directives from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). Here's how cities are perparing for the festivities.
Bangalore:
In Bangalore, civic authorities Wednesday appealed to the people to opt for eco-friendly idols of the elephant-headed god and use 22 designated lakes for their immersion.
Separate enclosures have been created in the 22 lakes for immersion of the idols, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike or Greater Bangalore City Corporation said in a statement.
The festival of Lord Ganesh falls Saturday and thousands of idols of various sizes are to be immersed across the city.
The civic authorities will also deploy mobile immersion facilities at various localities at designated times Saturday evening. Idols of less than three feet can be immersed at these facilities.
Bangalore boasted of about 260 small and big lakes in and around it till the 1960s.
But rapid urbanization and encroachment have taken a heavy toll and the city now has only about 60 lakes, according to the Lake Development Authority, an autonomous body set up by the government in 2002 to rejuvenate water bodies in Bangalore and other major towns of the state.
The civic authorities appealed to the people to remove flowers and others items used for pooja before immersing the idols.
Pune:
Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) Pune regional head PB Mirashe said, their office has already issued circulars to local bodies to implement the rules set by CPCB.
The guidelines include idols to be made from traditional clay rather than baked clay or such materials. The board has also recommended painting the idols with water soluble and non-toxic natural dyes. Use of toxic and non-biodegradable chemical dyes is prohibited, said the guidelines.
With the MPCB, along with the local bodies, drafting a river pollution improvement plan, it becomes mandatory that the guidelines are followed so that the river is not polluted.
The MPCB has also issued other guidelines directing mandals that materials, such as flowers, clothes, decorating material made of paper and plastic, should be removed before immersion.
The guidelines also include collecting the bio-degradable material for recycling or composting and non-biodegradable materials to be collected separately for disposal in sanitary landfills, while clothes are to be handed over to the orphanages.
Goa:
Environmentalists in Goa have began campaigning for an eco-friendly Ganesh festival in the coastal state this year. With Ganeshotsav getting increasingly modern and detrimental to the environment, green minds have started convincing people to celebrate an 'Eco-Chaturthi'.
Environmental NGOs in the state have began efforts to give an eco-touch to this festival so that the levels of noise, air and water pollution during the celebrations is reduced drastically.
The environmentalist residing in state's Keri village bordering Mhadei wildlife sanctuary said Ganesh idols made of unbaked natural clay, natural fiber and recycled paper will lessen the pollution.
"Ensure that the dyes used to colour the idols are organic or vegetable in origin. The stress on the use of earthen or clay idols embellished by vegetable dyes is a symbolic way of displaying environment-friendliness in religion," an environmentalist said in an appeal to the people.
The Goa government has banned sale of Plaster of Paris Idols, which usually float in the water bodies and create nuisance.
The state-run Handicraft Corporation has launched a special subsidy scheme for the artisans who carve clay Idols.
Goa Handicrafts Rural and Small Scale Industries Development Corporation (GHRSSIDC) Chairman Sameer Salgaocar said that this year around 500 artisans have applied for the subsidy. The Corporation had distributed cash subsidy of around Rs45 lakh during FY 2009-10 to various artisans.
Hyderabad:
In Hyderabad, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) has opened distribution centres at 51 locations near 38 major water bodies in Greater Hyderabad to encourage use of eco-friendly materials like clay and natural colours in making Ganesha idols for the festivities.
The HMDA is taking the help of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University and other colleges for distribution of the clay Ganeshas.
NGOs like Society for Awareness and Vision on Environment (SAVE) have made about 50,000 idols of eight inches each and 500 big idols of 4.5 feet size with eco-friendly materials with the support of the metropolitan development authority.
The idols would be sold to citizens at 50 per cent subsidised rates. For instance, an eight-inch idol would be sold at Rs 10 and big idol (4.5 feet) at about Rs 1,000.
And it isn't just NGOs who are interested in making the festival eco-friendly. Corporates have jumped the eco-friendly bandwagon too. A press release from Hypercity supermarket says that Hypercity has tied-up with NGO Sadguru Shree Aniruddha Upasana Foundation for manufacturing eco-friendly Ganesh idols.
"These idols are made of bio-degradable material like paper mash and natural gum, which dissolve in water without releasing any type of gases thus reducing pollution."
Big FM also launched the 'Green Ganesha' drive in the city to promote an eco-friendly way of celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi. In association with RAMKY, 92.7 BIG FM will install a big paper Ganesha at Prasads IMAX from September 11 to 19.
"Newspapers will be collected by the BIG FM RJs every day from different areas of the city and supplied to the artiste S Kantha Reddy for making the Ganesha," Ramesh Bhaskar, Station Head, 92.7 BIG FM, said.
Mumbai:
Mumbaikars too have give a thumbs up to an eco Ganesha. In the run-up to Ganesh Chaturthi, the message coming from the local Mumbai authorities too is: The gods must go green.
Hundreds of housing societies have registered with the Green Ganesha drive, mainly those that have awakened to the cause and are willingly opting for eco-friendly idols this year.
Idol-making workshops were conducted by the NGO EnviroVigil across the city, apart from street plays or `path natikas' where actors showed how Lord Ganesh is angry at the pollution generated during festivals and will only give his blessings once amends were made.
Corporates like The Bombay Store along with eCoexist have undertaken an initiative to educate people and children on the benefits of using these eco-friendly Ganesha this year.
These eco-friendly Ganesha idols are crafted by traditional craftsmen in Maharashtra as well as Sirsi Karnataka. Sirsi idols fully hand sculpted are made using a base of natural clay and are designed according to scriptural code. They are then painted using natural pigments such as turmeric, red earth (geroo) and earth from Multan. The Ganeshas sculpted are natural, beautiful and environment friendly.
Then there are those who will go a step ahead of all the eco-friendly talk and NOT immerse its Ganesh idol. The KDGB Nivas Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Mandal, located in a wadi in a Girgaum bylane will nt just go green with an eco-friendly Ganesha but on visarjan (immersion) day, devotees will take the idol to the beach with the usual fanfare, but bring it back after pouring some water on its feet to symbolise immersion.
The idol will be reinstalled in a smaller, permanent pandal in the wadi.
Source: Agencies, The Indian Express, India Syndicate
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