With Ganesh Chaturthi a month away, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board's efforts to check the sale and use of Plaster of Paris idols may have been thwarted by the absence of the Chairman. Board officials, however, say their operations are already in progress and banned idols are being seized. BBMP, meanwhile, has planned special vehicles to collect organic festival waste. While the number of PoP idols in Bengaluru has dropped, other parts of the state haven't caught up. This requires greater vigilance to check the influx of PoP idols smuggled in from other states and the scaling up of KSPCB's operations to include banning manufacturing units that produce PoP idols. A fine for those who break the rules will also help mitigate the pollution problem, reports Aksheev Thakur
Ganesh Chaturthi is only a month away and every year, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board puts in place regulations that minimise the ecological impact of the festivities. This year, however, those efforts have been put on hold, due to the absence of the KSPCB chairman. The authority to issue directions (for example, seizing and shutting down operations in the production of Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols) rests with the Chairman, without whom the operations of the Board are paralysed.
A member of KSPCB’s awareness committee, Dr Lakshmikanth HM, is reassuring. Notices have already been issued to some units, he said and the board, along with the BBMP and the city police, will work in tandem to keep a check on the sale of banned idols. “The sale of the POP idols has definitely come down in the past few years and the board will continue with its seizure operations. An extensive awareness campaign is also on,” he said.
Earlier this month in a discussion with various heads of schools, Bengaluru Mayor Gangambike asked them to spread awareness against the use of POP idols. However, the scale of the efforts must include banning the manufacturing units, the results of which are not seen on ground.
Environmentalists are of the opinion that government agencies need to be more vigilant, as PoP idols are trafficked across state lines, especially from Maharashtra, where the festival is celebrated with great pomp. Over 90% of the small idols are now made of clay, while the larger clay idols account for about 50% of total usage in the city.
“We need to concentrate on other cities as well. In the city, the authorities have been successful but they need to keep an eye out on cities outside Bengaluru as well, where PoP idols are used in large numbers,” says Ram Prasad, co-founder, Friends of Lakes. “In Bengaluru, the numbers look good but if we take the entire state into account, there is a lot more work to be done.”
Idol manufacturers say that clay being water-soluble is one factor that dissuades customers, while PoP idols can withstand the rain.
BBMP plans vehicles to pick up fest’s organic waste
The festivities surrounding Ganesh Chaturthi generate between 450 MT – 500 MT of waste every year. Experts say that while this quantity of waste cannot be reduced in terms of quantity, the BBMP should be considering different ways in which to manage it efficiently.
Randeep D, BBMP Special Commissioner, Solid Waste Management, says, “We will arrange special vehicles to pick up organic waste generated during the festival. The process will start with the identification of areas and sellers will be told not to dispose the waste anywhere, as vehicles will be arranged to pick it up. We are having a meeting with officials this Friday,” he explains.
In fact, the BBMP plans to arrange special vehicles during Bakrid as well, to ensure that animal waste and remains aren’t dumped on the roads. Bakrid generates up to 300 MT of waste each year. Dr Lakshmikanth says emphasis will be on Mysuru Road, near RV College and in areas like Chamrajpet, as these are the hubs of PoP idol manufacturing.
Citizens say that a penalty on violators will deter those inclined to breaking the law, too. “Last year, KSPCB guidelines on noise pollution were broken in areas like K.S. Layout, H.S.R. Layout an BTM Layout. “Music on loudspeakers should be banned after 10 pm and rowdy-ism in the name of festival cheer should be checked strictly by the police if the rules are to make an impact,” says M.S. Murthy, a retired school teacher.
