An eco-friendly Ganesh Chaturthi could win you a prize!

My Bhumi, a Bangalore-based NGO, in conjunction with the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) is working to promote an eco-friendly Ganesh Chaturthi celebration this year. Supported by Friends of Lakes, RR Nagar Cares, One Bangalore Lakes and other groups and individuals, the focus is to reach out to children through their schools, and educate them about the connection between eco-friendly Ganesha idols and lakes in Bangalore.   

Children are being encouraged to get their parents to buy unpainted clay idols. If the brown idols cost more than the colourful ones they are used to, then they can go in for smaller idols to fit their budgets. By making Eco Ganesha more “trendy” than other statues, an effort is being made to change the idol stereotype. 


A clay idol 

There are insufficient public places to immerse the idols. The lakes are few, many with immersion restrictions and many without water. After the immersion, BBMP officials have to actually break the idols to immerse them and even after this, many idols are abandoned. 

The KSPCB chairman will be visiting about five schools in Vidyaranyapura and surrounding areas in the coming week, and address the children and teachers. At this weekend’s Hasiru Santhe, Friends of Lakes (FOL) will be setting up a stall to promote Eco Ganeshas.

The competition

To participate in the competition children need to submit a photograph of the Ganesh Chaturthi celebration with a two-para write-up on how they managed to celebrate the entire festival in an eco-friendly manner. At the top of the write-up, please include the following participant’s information: 
Name of child
Age
Name of school
Standard in which studying
Home address
Contact phone number 

Entries can be sent either by email or post/courier. The details for each mode of sending are as below:

By email – 
Email the pic, write-up – ho@kspcb.gov.in 
Write “Eco Ganesha Competition” in the subject line
Entries should reach on or before 1st September 2014

By post/ courier
Send hard copies of the pic, write-up to – Karnataka State Pollution Control Board
“Parisara Bhavan”, 4th & 5th Floor,
#49, Church Street, Bangalore-560001
Superscribe the envelope “Eco Ganesha Competition”
Entries should reach on or before 5th September 2014.

Further details can be got from Ms Madhuri Subbarao, My Bhumi <madhuri_subbarao@hotmail.com> / mobile 8867700133.

Here’s to an Eco-friendly Ganesh Chaturthi celebration!

Check here, for a list of shops that are selling eco-friendly Ganesha idols this year. 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Similar Story

Opinion: Why climate action must recognise and include India’s informal workers

As COP29 discusses ways to mitigate the climate crisis, India must address the adversities faced by informal workers and chalk out plans.

The ongoing COP29 conference in Baku, is a pivotal moment in climate action, focusing on global cooperation to limit warming to 1.5°C. Key priorities include mobilising financial resources for developing countries to submit ambitious climate plans (NDCs) by 2025 and continuing support through the Fund for Loss and Damage (FRLD) established at COP28. COP29 also aims to strengthen adaptation efforts by setting finance-backed targets for the Global Goal on Adaptation.  While COP29 primarily focuses on international climate initiatives, India must address pressing domestic issues. One key group often overlooked is informal workers in Indian cities. Over 80% of India’s urban…

Similar Story

Status check: Key concerns remain as Chennai moves ahead with WTE plans

Greater Chennai Corporation's tender for the Waste-To-Energy plant is at the final stage; Here is what we know about the bidders

17,422 metric tonnes per day — that's the staggering amount of trash the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) will generate in 30 years. Currently, Chennai produces 6,143 metric tonnes of waste daily, which adds to the growing piles in Kodungaiyur and Perungudi dump yards. Like many other major cities, GCC is struggling to find a sustainable solution for waste management and has proposed a Waste-To-Energy (WTE) plant. However, the experiences of cities like Delhi are testimony to the significant environmental and health impacts of WTE plants. A recent The New York Times investigative report on the Delhi WTE reveals: "The government…