Banned PoP Ganesha idols pop up again in Bengaluru

Chandra Prabhu | NT

Bengaluru: Despite a circular issued by the Karnataka State Pollution control board banning sales and renting of PoP (Plaster of Paris) Ganesha idols, manufacturers, sellers and customers seem to favour them over other options.

This Ganesha Chathurthi is expected to carry forward the grandeur from last year, after two years of restricted celebration. In a warehouse at Mavalli, a room full of PoP Ganesha idols were put on sale, with customers flocking the space.

One of the vendors accepted that they were PoP idols and claimed they have permission to sell them. However, they were hesitant to speak more regarding the matter.

In another warehouse at Pottery town, a vendor claimed that their idols were made with paper and mud. However, It was found out that idols made out with a mixture of paper and mud would not withstand structurally to be 3 feet tall. However, the idols were as massive as 10 feet.

"These idols are lightweight, and it only requires two people to lift it," the vendor said, as they kept showing all of the "paper mud" idols.

The vendor also claimed to have witnessed police raids in the warehouse close to his. "They seized all the PoP idols."

The vendor also claimed that the reason behind the PoP ban is because of its non immersiveness in water bodies "It takes a minimum of a week to ten days to get immersed." he claimed.

A Ganesha idol seller for 40 years from Hanumanth nagar dismissed claims of paper mud idols to be 4-5 feet tall.

"Paper idols are not usually strong, they fall down the moment they are garlanded. I have no idea how these mixed idols are created," he said.

On asking why PoP idols still remain popular despite the government ban, he pointed to the demands from customers. "We sell them only when customers approach us with one. Otherwise, with an affluent customers , clay and mud idols are the only ones we sell," he added.

Recently, state forest, environment and ecology minister Eshwar Khandre had hit out against the sale of these PoP idols. He also wrote to Chief Minister Siddaramiah to instruct all district administrations to enforce a ban on these PoP idols.