This Puja, PoP idols not a hit

Lucknow: With Navratri just 10 days away, workshops are lined up with Durga idols waiting for final touches before being taken away to their respective pandals. What's common to them is that not even a single idol has been made out of plaster of Paris (PoP). Sculptors say they got orders of only clay idols this time.
Neeloy Das, who runs his own workshop at Eveready Chauraha, says all committees that approached him for idols this year wanted clay ones."Earlier, they used to come for PoP or baked-clay idols but nobody wanted them this time. Everybody wanted an eco-friendly idol," he said.
Various Durga puja communities and pandals are opting for eco-friendly idols which, taking lesser time to dissolve in water, reduce the risk of water pollution. "PoP or baked-clay idols do not dissolve within a few hours of immersion in water and may take years, causing harm to water bodies and aquatic lives. That's not how we should celebrate festivals," said Arindam Prasad, member of Alambagh Durga puja committee.
"Idols made up of PoP may take anywhere between several months and years to fully dissolve, which poses a great threat to water bodies," said Omkar, HoD, zoology department, Lucknow University.
Another sculptor at Indiranagar is using natural colours to beautify his idols in order to avoid release of toxic chemicals, like lead and mercury, which are insoluble in water. "Since we are making clay idols, we have also made it a point to avoid synthetic paints and go for natural colours instead," said Neeloy.