Thane: In compliance with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) directives on the ban of the use of Plaster of Paris for making idols, the Kalyan-Dombivali Municipal Corporation (KDMC) recently issued an order- banning the use of Plaster of Paris (PoP) for making or selling Ganesh, Durga and other such idols in the KDMC jurisdiction ahead of Ganesh Utsav and Navratra Utsav.
As per the order from KDMC, for the first time, factory operators and idol sellers will have to make and sell Ganesh idols in the KDMC area with the permission of the civic body so that plaster of Paris idols and any other items made from it will not be used in the city during Ganesh utsav and Navratri festivals. Sculptors should create sculptures using shades, eco-friendly and natural colours.
This is to stop water pollution and thus damage to the environment will be avoided. The civic body has also appealed to the citizens to give priority to the purchase of eco-friendly shadu idols which are idols made from ash clay.
Earlier two months back KDMC had organized a meeting of Ganesh sculptors from the KDMC area and during the meeting, the damage caused by plaster of Paris statues was discussed. Sculptors were urged to focus on the production of shadu sculptures.
Sculptors at the time had appealed for the decision to be considered until an alternative arrangement was made. The administration is now on high alert as the Central Pollution Control Board's order has to be strictly enforced.
KDMC officials informed, "Legal action will be taken by the health department of the civic body against those who sell Ganesh idols and Goddess idols without permission during Ganesh Utsav and Navratra Utsav. The sculptor of Ganpati and Goddess and also sellers should get permission from the ward office of the civic body to make and sell Ganesha idols. We have also appealed that a copy of the sanctioned permission should be affixed in the front of the idol manufacturing factory and sales shop."
Officials from the Kalyan- Dombivali civic body further added, "Legal action will be initiated against citizens who will not be using eco-friendly idols. During Ganesh utsav and Navratri citizens should use eco-friendly, easily soluble in water materials which will decompose automatically after a few days. This will not harm the environment. If Someone may be secretly making PoP statues and selling them then legal action will be taken. Also, legal action will be taken against citizens who will try to immerse the PoP idols in rivers or creek. "
