Workshop Highlights Environmental Risks of PoP Idols in Mysuru

Quick summary

• Event: A two-day workshop on crafting eco-friendly clay Ganesha idols took place in Mysuru on August 22-23.
• Purpose: To promote environmental awareness regarding the hazards of plaster of Paris (PoP) idols and chemical paints used during Ganesha festival celebrations.
• organizers: Parisara Balaga,H.V. Rajeev Sneha Balaga, and Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), Mysuru regional office.
• Participants: Over 300 students aged 9 to 14 from 12 schools attended the event at Sri Basaveshwara Yoga Park, Alanahalli.
• Highlights:

– Artisans taught students how to make clay idols.
– Former MUDA Chairman H.V. Rajeev stressed celebrating Ganesha festival wiht meaning rather than grandeur,urging more such workshops for public awareness.
– Environmental activist Parashurame Gowda highlighted the non-dissolvable nature of PoP idols in water and their harmful chemical impact on aquatic systems due to lead, mercury, and cadmium contamination from paints.

Indian opinion Analysis

This initiative aligns well with fostering sustainable practices among younger generations while addressing critical environmental concerns linked to conventional festivities. Workshops like these help instill practical knowledge about eco-friendly alternatives at an early age while underscoring broader dangers such as water pollution caused by PoP idols and chemical paints. These hazards pose risks not only to aquatic habitats but also to human health via contaminated water bodies.

The program serves as a noteworthy example of community engagement through collaboration between organizations like KSPCB, education institutions, and local artisans-creating valuable societal change at grassroots levels. Continued efforts are needed across other regions in India where similar practices prevail during festivals to create larger-scale environmental impact without compromising cultural traditions.

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