In Mumbai every year 70,000-80,000 Ganpati idols are immersed at about 50 places during Ganesh Chaturthi. This festival brings together millions of people but in modern times is also contributing to serious environmental pollution. Besides the noise created by the several Ganesh mandals during the festival, the immersion of idols made out of chemical materials causes significant water pollution.
The traditional mud idols have been replaced by Plaster of Paris(PoP) statues which are then painted using toxic chemical dyes to make them bright and attractive to buyers. These materials poison water bodies by increasing chemical and organic content. In the process, ecosystems in these water bodies get harmed and plant and fish species die in large numbers. Please sign the petition here to prevent this - http://ecoganpati.com Thanks.
RE:Lets make Ganpati Celebration more eco-friendly
by Aashish on Sep 17, 2007 04:51 PM Permalink
Sir you are right but I don't undestand mentallity of poeple like you chemical which are use to paint idols are toxic but what about tonns of industrial waste been thrown every day what about AIR polllution . I have never heard any one taking this issue to ONGC Reliance TATA motor - I agree with what you say but first look at other major issues missile testing , so there are many things which are more dangerous than making ganesh idol of pop Look mumbai after 2 years making building cutting trees who cares for nature no one my dear friend
RE:Lets make Ganpati Celebration more eco-friendly
by cardinal on Sep 18, 2007 08:13 PM Permalink
I agree Aashish. India's first problem is population. No one dares to talk about the Muslims not doing family planning. When it comes to Hindu's everyone is worried abt environement, pollution etc. They raise Ganesha visarjan as problem, color as problem, fireworks of Diwali as problem etc etc. What a joke. What can one expect when we have a government which questions Ram's existence?
