Ganesha idol sales pick up amid PoP curbs

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

 Stores selling idols of Ganesha and Gowri have been popping up across the city, while the civic authorities have been formulating rules for celebrations.

Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike Chief Commissioner has appealed to the public not to use idols made of plaster of paris (PoP) and toxic paint, as it will result in polluting the city’s water bodies after immersion. He has also directed officials to conduct checks at places selling Ganesha idols.

 Sellers, however, said they have been abiding by the rules and stopped the production of PoP idols for four years now. “All the smaller Ganesha idols are made from mud. The paint used to provide the details are water paint or acrylic, both of these are environmentally friendly and will dissolve in water,” said the shopkeeper of Rajiv and Sons, a makeshift idol-selling store that has sprung up in Vijayanagar.

“We have come up with idols whose finishing touch looks like they are made of PoP, however, they are made of mud. These idols weigh more than the normal ones,” he added. Mud as a material can be used to build idols that are up to six feet high. Beyond that one needs to use PoP for sturdiness.

“Such idols are also being sold in the city. Groups and associations who host public celebrations will be the ones opting for them. However, they need to be immersed cautiously,” the shopkeeper said.

The civic body has chosen Sankey tank, Ulsoor tank, Yediyur tank and Hebbal tank along with few others, where officials would have made preparations in advance, for the immersion of idols.

It will also station immersion tankers in prominent junctions and a few main roads across wards. Officials are instructed to ensure that at least 10 swimmers are present to ensure safety.

 Loudspeakers are also being used to raise awareness regarding carrying out the celebrations in an environment-friendly manner.

 The BBMP has made it clear that the puja materials such as banana stems and flowers must be cleared off with the help of the deployed waste vehicles, on a day-to-day basis.

It has also banned bursting of crackers as well as flexes and banners that display wishes for the occasion.