They also appealed to people to restrict the number of idols in Hyderabad and use eco-friendly and non-toxic natural herbal colours for decorating the idols.

Published: 29th August 2022 11:29 AM   |   Last Updated: 29th August 2022 11:29 AM   |   A+ A  A-

An artisan gives final touches to an idol in Dhoolpet

HYDERABAD: Stating that immersion of idols during festive seasons is a major source of contamination and sedimentation, Hyderabad-based environmentalists have called upon the people to save water bodies like the Hussainsagar by using eco-friendly and small clay Lord Ganesh idols.

“Be a part of the solution, not a part of pollution’’, environmentalists A Vijay Kumar and M Vikram Reddy said on Sunday.They mentioned that Lord Ganesh idols made of Plaster of Paris (PoP) are cast on metal frames and heavy chemicals are used to paint them.

These are responsible for pollution of water bodies. About 30,000 to 40,000 PoP idols, 400 tonnes of iron and 150 tonnes of wooden planks, coconut fibre, gunny bags and white cement are immersed in the Hussainsagar during the festival. These settle down on the bed of the lake as sediment causing pollution, they added.

To avoid pollution of water bodies, they suggested that small idols made of clay without using colours would be best as they would not cause any harm. They also appealed to people to restrict the number of idols in Hyderabad and use eco-friendly and non-toxic natural herbal colours for decorating the idols.

Puja material associated with idols such as leaves, flowers, coconuts, clothes, fruits and polythene carry bags etc should not be thrown into the lakes with idols.Careless dumping of idols in water bodies blocks the natural flow of water, resulting in stagnation and breeding of mosquitoes and later, stench, the environmentalists said.

GHMC officials distribute clay idols

Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) carried out the distribution of four lakh clay Lord Ganesha idols within the civic body limits on Sunday. The GHMC made arrangements to distribute clay idols to the citizens for free at the circle offices from Saturday. Instructions were issued to all the six Zonal Commissioners to make arrangements for the distribution of idols. Hyderabad Mayor Gadwal Vijayalaxmi urged people to use clay idols for their worship as it’s eco-friendly and helps keep the environment clean. She also urged devotees to keep the Ganesh pandal premises clean.

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