Green Ganeshas are now a location away

A citizen initiative is making it easier for Bengalureans to buy environment-friendly Ganeshas.

A live location map shared on Twitter by Archana K R on August 21 is crowd-sourcing locations of vendors selling clay idols. As of Friday, the map has a total of 67 locations listed — 65 in Bengaluru and one each in Chennai and Mumbai.

The concept of a crowd-sourced map was modelled on an idea suggested by an eighth grader, says Archana, an employee of Reap Benefit, an NGO. “In this digital age, people can at least share information. Reap Benefit solves environmental and civic issues locally and visits schools to raise awareness. It was during one of these visits that the idea was born,” she says.

Captain Manivannan, a former Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) employee, saw Archana’s post on Twitter and decided to join the initiative. “Citizens who come forward on civic and environmental issues need to be welcomed with a red carpet,” he says.

He brought the initiative to KSPCB’s notice which expressed its support and shared the map on all its platforms.

Archana has also visited vendors at different locations to dissuade them from selling plaster of paris idols. “This part of the project is in its fledgling stages but the bricks for the coming years have been laid,” she says.

A list of locations for idol immersion in keeping with environmental regulations, and timings of the mobile immersion tanks that the KSPCB intends to circulate throughout the city will also be added, Archana informs.

In addition to the regulations implemented by the KSPCB, the office of the Police Commissioner has released a set of guidelines to be followed for community celebrations and idol immersion. All community events must have prior permission from the jurisdictional police, the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company and the Fire Department. The notice stipulates that the processions must be peaceful, without affecting traffic. Also, all celebrations must be completed before 10 pm.