Ragini Mule bags 1st prize in Times Green Ganesha contest

Ragini Mule from Pune bagged the first prize in the ‘

Home Ganapati

’ category of the Times Green Ganesha competition, organized jointly by the Times Group and

Maharashtra Pollution Control Board

(MPCB) to encourage eco-friendly celebrations.


The first runner-up was Akash Kale, while Abhijit Ganorkar stood third. In the ‘Society’ category, Tridal Ganesh Mandal won the top prize, followed Samrajya Balwantpuram Society and Ojas Society. In the Mandal category, Deccan Bal Mitra Mandal was the winner, while Sree Ganesh Mitra Mandal was second.

Times Green Ganesha awards recognize and reward eco-friendly measures by households, societies and Ganesh mandals. The four main parameters are eco-friendly Ganesh murti, decoration, procession and immersion.

The award ceremony was held recently at Sahyadri Guesthouse in Mumbai. Environment minister Ramdas Kadam , MPCB member-secretary E Ravendiran, and PRO Sanjay Bhuskute felicitated the winners. The month-long campaign encouraged people to celebrate the festival in by using eco-friendly idols, reusable decor, less noise pollution and artificial water body for immersion. Several Ganesha drawing competitions for schools and eco-friendly idol-making workshops for colleges were also held.

“By teaming up with the Times Group, we have been able to reiterate the benefits of celebrating festivals in an eco-friendly manner. The overwhelming response to this initiative has prompted us to plan a bigger initiative next year,” Kadam said. “We will continue to spread awareness about eco-friendly celebrations,” Ravendiran said.