BMC Distributes 858 Tonnes Clay For Eco-Friendly Ganesh Idols Ahead Of Ganpati Festival

Mumbai's Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is accelerating the distribution of eco-friendly materials for the upcoming Ganpati festival, with less than two weeks remaining. To date, 858 tonnes of clay and 25,400 litres of natural colors have been given out to artisans for crafting clay idols, known as shadu murti. The corporation aims to distribute an additional 200 tonnes of clay in the coming week, bringing the total to around 1,000 tonnes, mirroring last year's figure.

A total of 1,136 murtikar mandaps (idol-making workshops) have been established within BMC jurisdiction. Despite government efforts to promote environmentally-friendly idol making, there has been no significant uptick in clay collection for idols. The state government has asked the Bombay High Court to permit immersing idols below 6 feet in artificial lakes and taller idols in natural waters like seas and lakes.

Consequently, the BMC has decided to expand the number of artificial ponds. Last year, artificial ponds were set up at 298 locations, and this year, the count is expected to stay the same, but the number of ponds per location will increase. A BMC official stated that if a local had one pond last year, they will now have three to four, which will help expedite the immersion process and reduce waiting time for devotees.

After the immersion, the remains of the idols will be collected and transported by the BMC to either the Mulund site or designated locations. Last year, these remains were stored at Mulund, awaiting scientific disposal. The BMC has not yet issued tenders for idol remains recycling, as suggested by the state-appointed committee. So far, 1,835 permissions have been granted to sarvajanik Ganesh mandals (public Ganesh idol-making societies) to install Ganpati idols, with the remaining applications under review by the BMC and Mumbai police.