Ganesh idol immersion leaves Tirupati’s Vinayaka Sagar polluted
Several half-immersed idols were seen floating amid discarded garlands, wooden frames, and other decorative materials; officials urged the pandal organisers and public to opt for eco-friendly idols from next year
The Ganesh idol immersion ceremony concluded the Vinayaka Chaturthi festivities on Sunday, September 20, 2026, but left the city's designated water body, Vinayaka Sagar, polluted. Half-immersed idols were observed floating on Monday, alongside discarded garlands and decorative materials. The festival was organized, with idols arranged for immersion on the third, fifth, and seventh days of Vinayaka Chaturthi, considering factors such as location, distance to the water body, size, and materials used.
While the first two phases utilized clay idols, the third phase featured heavily-painted idols primarily made of Plaster of Paris (PoP). Despite an awareness campaign against PoP idols by the Tirupati Varasiddhi Vinayaka Festival Committee, a non-political entity established 25 years ago to coordinate between organizers and government agencies, some pandal organizers continued with the traditional practice.
A committee member stated that certain organizers had already ordered the idols and thus could not switch to clay, but assured compliance in the following year. Municipal Corporation Commissioner M. Jayakrishna, who remained at Vinayaka Sagar until late on Sunday, noticed the PoP idols and urged organizers to adopt eco-friendly alternatives from next year.
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