Mysuru: With Ganesh Chaturthi being celebrated on September 17, ‘Let’s Do It,’ a Mysuru-based NGO is set to launch a unique green initiative to maintain the cleanliness of the city and protect water bodies. With a 1000 strong membership, 60 per cent of them students and 20 per cent techies, the NGO will launch a campaign to promote environmentally friendly clay Ganesha idols. Incidentally, Mysuru was declared the cleanest among 476 cities by the Central government recently.
Heavy toxic metals including lead and chromium present in the paint used for Ganesha idols, have been found to be disastrous to aquatic life. The volunteers will distribute paint-free idols free of cost to over 500 households in Saraswathipuram ward to popularize the campaign to save water bodies of the city from pollution.
“We plan to deliver the idols to households at an auspicious time. Volunteers, dressed in traditional costumes, will visit the houses and deliver the idols,” said Prashanth B, founder of the NGO and a city-based entrepreneur. To prevent pollution due to flowers and other puja material, they are also collecting Ganesha idols for mass immersion.
The NGO which was launched in March 2013 had collected 30 lorries of solid waste during their first cleanliness drive in 2013.
