Hyderabad: The eco-friendly and the green Ganesha campaign might receive a lukewarm response this year too, said sources from the Buddha Purnima wing of HMDA.
Every year the HMDA used to distribute 8-inch clay idols at a subsidised price of Rs 10-15, but it has been withdrawn this year.
“The Ganeshas will be sold for Rs 26 as there are not many manufacturers. Also, the middlemen involved are making the process of acquiring clay Ganeshas tougher,” said a source.
Currently, the department has a stock of nearly 30,000 clay Ganeshas and more are expected to be sourced in the next 10 days. On one hand there is not enough space for manufacturers and on the other, there are only five major manufacturers.
Clay Ganesha’s of 4-5 feet were priced at Rs 3,500 and above last year. This year’s prices are yet to be known. On Facebook, eco-friendly Ganesha kits are priced at Rs 500 and above.
While government initiatives and awareness has been low, NGOs and individuals are trying to organise clay idol-making classes.
However, NGOs have a niche audience and it is not possible to take up these initiatives at a large scale unless the government is involved too, said sources.
