N Shashidhar from the Craft Council said he found that people were opting for smaller and eco-friendly Ganesha idols devoid of artificial colours at various stalls.
" Apart from selling eco-friendly Ganesha idols we are also creating awareness about eco-friendly immersion of idols. The Council is involving schoolchildren for the door-to-door campaign,” he said.
Another campaigner for the cause, Professor Ananth said that an idol maker from Hesaraghatta has been selling eco-friendly Ganesha idols in Malleswaram for the past 3 years. In the first year he recorded a sale of 300 idols, while 500 idols were sold in the second year. However, this year he has marked a sale of 700 eco-friendly Ganesha idols.
"There year has witnessed an increased demand for sale of eco-friendly Ganesh idols,” said Professor Ananth.
Eco-friendly Ganesha idols are being sold in the premises of various colleges in Rajajinagar, and the demand for such idols has been more compared to last year.
KSPCB initiative
For the first time, Karnataka State Pollution Control Board ( KSPCB) has made arrangements for display of eco-friendly Ganesha idols in all its offices.
Various awareness programmes will be held on impact of artificial colours and oil paints on water bodies and measures to be taken to prevent water pollution. In addition to this, the Board has also organised mobile Ganesha immersion tanks in Bangalore, Mysore, Dharwad, Belgaum, Mandya, Tumkur, Bijapur and Bagalkot cities.
Eco-friendly Ganesha idols can be bought at Craft Council of Karnataka, No 37, 17th Cross, Malleswaram. Call 23347299 or 23567470 for more details.