Campaign for eco-friendly Ganesha

NIE in association with Centre for Renewable Energy and Sustainable Technology (CREST) and Onyx, a student wing of the institute, will be visiting different places from Tuesday, subsequent to the launch of campaign. It’s also for the first time NIE-CREST has taken such an initiative to ensure celebration does not end up harming the environment.

Director, NIE-CREST, Prof D Shamsundar told Deccan Herald, immersion of Ganesha and Gowri idols - made from mud - painted with different colours, in water, is adding causing irreversible damage to the environment, especially to aquatic life and in effect, the overall ‘health’ of tanks and lakes.

Also, different flowers used to decorate the idols end up polluting the water. The same flowers can be turned into manure when mixed with soil; instead of letting them stay afloat on water, which subsequently add to the muck collected on the surface. Apart from clay idols painted with various hues, the idols made of plaster of Paris too is equally harmful to the environment. The students roped in for the campaign will distribute pamphlets and posters for five days from Tuesday.

 The pamphlets printed in English will consist of do’s and dont’s, while posters with awareness slogans are in Kannada. Students divided into 10 groups will visit educational institutions and other establishments every day. They have been given a target of about 500 such establishments at the end of the campaign. They will also provide information pertaining to the places where clay idols sans any paintings or made using vegetable dyes, are being sold. The students will also create awareness among the buyers at the places thronged ahead of the festival.Shamsundar said that all the information regarding the availability of eco-friendly clay idols and places, have been collected just to facilitate the buyers.

 Shamsundar said that he is also practicing what he is preaching. He has been consecrating eco-friendly ganesha idol at his home for the past five years. When compared to the idols usually sold during the festivals, eco-friendly idols are priced lesser than those painted ones, he added.