As the 10-day Ganpati festival draws closer, eco-friendly idols are running out of stock since higher eco-consciousness has led to a manifold increase in demand.
Since the last few years, the civic body and Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti had appealed to people to put up eco-friendly Ganesh idols which are made from natural dyes and dissolve easily in water; plaster of Paris (PoP) idols remain in the sea for long after immersion and adversely affect marine life.
According to experts, PoP idols do not dissolve easily in seawater as compared to those made of clay. The Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) has also launched a sustained campaign appealing people to worship clay Ganeshas.
Santosh Mirashi, who has been making eco-friendly idols since 50 years, said, “We never compromised with our art [clay has been traditionally used to make idols]. We are not greedy to make fast money by making PoP idols, which do not require much skill,” he said.
Pramod Palav, an artist in Kankavali (Sindhudurg) has put an end to the old debate between Ganesh mandals and environmentalists by using clay without compromising on the idol’s height. Palav, who has made a 21-foot-tall idol for a Ganesh mandal in Andheri, claims that the idol will dissolve within 15 minutes after immersion.
Kedar Dahibaokar, an idol maker from the Mumbai Central, said, “Some ask for PoP idols because they are light and easy to carry. Clay idols are heavy and people have to take a lot of care because they are very delicate. But we got 10 more bookings for eco-friendly Ganeshas this year.”
