4 days ago
Khandre orders crackdown on POP idol sales
Bengaluru: Karnataka Forest, Ecology, and Environment Minister Eshwar B Khandre has directed officials to curb the storage, transportation, and sale of Plaster of Paris (POP) Ganesha and Gauri idols, encouraging instead the promotion of eco-friendly clay idols without chemical paints ahead of the upcoming festive season.
Addressing the media in Bengaluru, Minister Khandre emphasized the environmental hazards posed by POP idols. He stated that POP idols are made using calcium sulfate hemihydrate powder, which contains harmful elements such as sulfur, dyes, gypsum, magnesium, and are coated with toxic paints that include mercury, cadmium, lead, and carbon.
When these idols are immersed in water bodies like lakes, ponds, or rivers, they release heavy metals that contaminate the water, affecting human and animal health and causing the death of aquatic life.
To prevent such environmental damage, the Environment Department has been instructed to launch public awareness campaigns.
The minister recalled that in previous years, circulars were issued against the manufacture and sale of POP idols, but since taking office in 2023, he has formalised the prohibition through a government order. Local municipal bodies have been directed to strictly enforce this ban.
With just a month left for the Gauri-Ganesha festival, Minister Khandre has asked authorities to begin immediate action to prevent the transport and storage of POP idols. Furthermore, resident welfare associations in high-rise buildings, housing complexes, and residential layouts have been urged to inform their members to use only eco-friendly idols for worship. Khandre reiterated that community leaders should take responsibility for spreading the message of sustainability and ensure a greener celebration of
the festival.
