Visakhapatnam: The Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board, in association with voluntary organisations, has launched ‘Clay Idol’ campaign to dissuade people from using Plaster of Paris (PoP)-made Ganesh idols.
With clay price going high this year, the idols are being sold at a higher price thereby forcing people to go for PoP made idols.
The campaigns are hence sensitising people about the adverse affect of PoP idols on water, aquatic creatures and also human being so that people would go for clay idols rather than PoP ones.
The Board is distributing handouts highlighting adverse consequences of PoP idols. “Clay idols decay in water, but the idols made of PoP and other chemicals don’t. The chemicals not only pollute water but harm the aquatic culture. Many materials including plastics which are thrown in the water bodies during immersion are also harmful,” a pollution board official said. The Board has also urged people not to use public address system and celebrate the festival in a eco-friendly way.
