Voluntary agency for eco-friendly disposal

By Arunkumar Bhatt

MUMBAI, AUG. 15. Devotees believe that Lord Ganesh is the greatest troubleshooter but very few of them know that his majestic idols installed in the homes and streets on the occasion of Ganesh or Vinayaka Chaturthi are equally hazardous to health and environment for these idols are immersed in lakes, wells, rivers and the sea after the celebrations.

A rationalist body here, the Maharashtra Andhashraddha Nirmoolan Samiti, and other voluntary agencies, have not only launched a public awareness programme among the devotees but has been making arrangement for collecting the idols for an eco- friendly disposal without hurting religious feelings.

Unlike in the past when the idols were made of ordinary colours and plain clay which get dissolved in water easily without causing much pollution, now they are made of plaster of paris, distemper, plastic paint, dyes, metallic powders, adhesives, varnish, fluorescent powders and oil paints.

The insoluble plaster of paris chokes natural water sources, aquefissures in lakes and wells. The chemicals harm the eyes, the skin, the respiratory systems and even cause cancer. The samiti pointed out that the pigments used for painting the idols have poisonous and carcinogenic elements like deadly potassium cyanide and oleum. They use even mercury and lead. To make an idol scintillate, a stirring monomer is used in its colours which is carcinogenic. All these chemicals, thus, cause dangerous water and land pollution.

The water-based colours like distemper have CMC (carboxy methyl cellulose) which is very harmful and glueflex, made from animal bones. To dilute nitrocollulos-based paints, the idol-makers use NC thinner which is dangerous, according to the samiti. Only natural dyes and pigments, sourced from vegetables and soils, are absolutely benign but nobody is using them. Some artists use fabric or poster colours which are comparatively better. The harmful dyes and chemicals make even clay idols dangerous for health and environment.

Last year, the samiti and its collaborating associations collected over 20,000 idols in 60 villages and towns of the State and disposed them of in a befitting manner. They also collected flowers and other items used in pooja and turned them into natural fertilizer.

The Kalava lake in Kolhapur used to be a very popular site for immersion. But not a single idol is immersed there in the last three years. Many people have been convinced that it was more reverent to immerse the family Ganapati idol at home in a plastic tub than in filthy water.

Many have got a permanent idol of five auspicious metals (pancha- dhatu) made and have started performing symbolic immersion to follow the tradition. The volunteers are also encouraging installation of small idols made of natural materials instead of having large ones made of harmful plaster of paris and chemicals. The Samiti estimates that of the 1.5 crore families in Maharashtra, at least one crore have the idols installed in their homes with traditional devotion and enthusiasm. Thousands of Ganeshotsava Mandals install large idols in practically every street and public ground throughout the State.

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Section  : National
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