BENGALURU: The
ban on plaster of Paris
(PoP)
Ganesha idols during the
upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations
has given impetus to some creative minds to look for eco-friendly alternatives. Cashing in on the demand,
paper Ganeshas
have hit the market though they aren't completely made of papier mache.
The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) recently raided shops selling paper idols and sent them for testing to see if they are completely eco-friendly. "Idols made of either PoP or paper don't harm the environment much, but it's the use of paints to deck them up that causes damage. The paint used on idols releases an oily substance into water when they are immersed and it can hamper aquatic life," said a KSPCB officer.
Once the lab findings of the paper idols are out, KSPCB will take a call on approving them, said an official.
Most idols sold in the name of paper ones aren't completely eco-friendly because there's certain amount of PoP that goes into their making. "Only 10% of the idol content is paper and the rest is purely a chemical mixture," said a shop vendor at Indir anagar. "It's difficult to find out whether the idol is made of paper or not until we dissolve it. We need to tell the sellers when we buy it," said Priya Ravi, a resident of Rajajinagar.
Some shopkeepers are restricting themselves to idols made of cl ay sans paint. "We've been creat ing idols for over two generations now and we use only clay," said M Sujatha, owner of Sujaatha store in Indiranagar. The small idols are generally made of clay while the big ones are made of paper mache. If the idol is more than 6ft, it's difficult to use clay as it might break. But paper can withstand such pres sure," she said.
Some Bengalureans are al so making paper idols at home. "I've been making Ganeshas along with my children using papier mache. We use old newspapers and rice glue to make idols," said Sheela S, a resident of Rajarajeshwari Nagar. The process is a little tedious but worth it, she added.
Temples bat for clay idols Temples are in the forefront of advocating use of eco-friendly Ganeshas. Malleswaram Mahaganapati temple and temples on Bull Temple Road, City market and Hanumanthnagar are asking devotees to use clay idols. "Idols made of PoP break into pieces when immersed. This is not only painful to watch but will also bring bad luck," a priest claimed.
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