The Clay Way ; Battling State Laws, a Campaign in Andhra Pradesh Inspires People to Craft Eco-Friendly Ganesha Idols.

Summary

---

Environmental awareness is going the religious way, with Lord Ganesha beginning to preside over his birthday festivities in an ecologically benign manner. Many of the idols to be immersed in water at the end of the birthday celebrations, earlier made of plaster of paris (POP) and coated with harmful chemical paints, are being made of clay now. But the irony is that while the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) promotes clay and natural products, Andhra Pradesh has an official order advocating the use of POP.

To counter water pollution through chemicals like cadmium, mercury, arsenic, lead, chromium and nickel, found in the paints on POP idols, the Centre for Environment Education, the Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board and the Andhra Pradesh National Green Corps (APNGC) have been running a campaign to promote clay idols. Schoolchildren and teachers who attend these ecofriendly workshops, that begin after the Independence Day and conclude just before the festival, have persuaded parents to use clay idols instead of POP idols.

See the full content of this document

Extract

---

The Clay Way ; Battling State Laws, a Campaign in Andhra Pradesh Inspires People to Craft Eco-Friendly Ganesha Idols.

"Children love to work with clay.We talk about environmental issu...

See the full content of this document

---