Andhra Pradesh - Guntur   

Idol-makers in Guntur play it safe

Staff Reporter

`Spare a thought for environment'

GUNTUR: With less than a fortnight to go for the most popular pooja publicly organised - Vinayaka Chavithi - idol makers have put up large tents and began giving final touches to the idols. It is said they are using non-toxic paints!

People in Guntur use some 50,000 idols of all sizes on an average. A majority of them are painted with oil-based colours. "Very few people prefer non-painted idols. Those made of ordinary clay did not have any sales till last year. This time, however, we have been getting requests from people to keep some idols without painting," says Dhara Sreenunaik, who targets the domestic clientele.

Size matters

A few from northern states and Nellore have also pitched tents at some places on the roadsides and are engaged in making large-sized idols. The sizes range between two and 18 feet. "We have heard about the caution given by the State Government in making of idols in Hyderabad. But very few people abide by it," opines Chindwasa Rameswar Prasad. "What matters most is attractive colour gloss which commands better price compared to an idol finished with ordinary paint," he observes.

Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board Environmental Engineer D. Ravindrababu has given a call to people and students to celebrate the festival with smaller idols that are non-painted to reduce environmental pollution.

Dual aim

"These days, plaster of Paris is used in the making of idols which are then given a paint containing carcinogenic chemicals. Once the idols are immersed in drinking water sources, the carcinogenic materials get mixed with water and harm us," he explains. Worshipping the Lord and protecting our environment should go hand-in-hand, he avers. District Education Officer Y. Chandramohan released a poster on this recently.

D. Tirupathi Reddy of the National Green Corps also proposes to popularise this concept of worshipping clay Ganesh idols in Guntur.

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