Background : Idol worship is an integral part of the Hindu culture and idols are considered embodiment of the divine

power. During Hindu festivals such as Durga Pooja and Ganesh Chathurthi, people install idols, worship them and immerse them in the water, a practice that signifies that everything comes from the earth and has to go back to it. In the ancient times, people made idols in clay and used natural colors such as turmeric to make idols look attractive. Today, idol makers, mostly use chemical-based paints on idols, and more worrying is the fact that majority of the people buy these idols. This has raised serious environmental concerns as immersion of idols with chemical-based paints causes water pollution, disturbing the aquatic environment. Studies have revealed that the quality of water considerably deteriorates after immersion of idols, since toxic heavy metals such as Lead, Cadmium and Mercury contaminate the water. Several NGOs are working to create awareness among public about the hazardous nature of colorful idols that use coloring agents. As response to an order issued by the Bombay High Court, The Central Pollution Control Board has formulated immersion guidelines for idols, which include [1] : Idols should be made from natural materials as described in the holy scripts. Use of traditional clay for idol making rather than baked clay, plaster of paris, etc. may be encouraged, allowed and promoted. Painting of Idols should be discouraged. In case idols are to be painted, water soluble and nontoxic natural dyes should be used. Use of toxic and nonbiodegradable chemical dyes for painting idols should be strictly prohibited. Worship material like flowers, vastras (clothes), decorating material (made of paper and plastic) etc. should be removed before immersion of idols. Biodegradable materials should be collected separately for recycling or composting. Non-biodegradable materials should be collected separately for disposal in sanitary landfills. Clothes may be sent to local orphan house(s). Public should be educated on ill effects of immersion in the holy water bodies through mass awareness programme.

Mysore Youth Foundations initiative - Green Ganesha ( Preserve the Green. Keep it Clean) Mysore Youth Foundation is committed to work towards preserving natural environment of the city by creating awareness among citizens. As part of this initiative we are encouraging citizens to buy eco-friendly Ganesha idols and follow environment-friendly disposal practices. Being a Mysorean, how can I contribute to the protection of environment?

Use eco-friendly Ganesha idol which is made of clay and has no paint on it. Where do I buy eco-friendly Ganesha? (Information yet to be collected)

How do I dispose the idol? Immerse the idol in a bucket of water; wait until it dissolves completely and dispose the precipitated clay.

How do I spread this message? Educate your neighbours, friends and relatives on the ill-effects of using idols painted with toxic substances, and encourage them to buy eco-friendly Ganesha idols.

References : [1] Central Pollution Control Board, Guidelines for IDOL IMMERSION, June 2010. Available at http://www.cpcb.nic.in/upload/NewItems/NewItem_159_Guideline_for_Idol_Imersion. pdf