BJP leader writes to Prakash Javadekar on CPCB's ban on plastic, thermocol in idol making

BJP MLA Ashish Shelar on Monday wrote a letter to Union Minister Prakash Javekar regarding ban on use of Plaster of Paris for idol making. Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has banned use of plastic, rmocol and plaster of Paris in making idols of gods and goddesses.

Shelar in his letter mentioned that  sudden decision will le to huge financial losses, as rural artisans have alrey invested crores of rupees in purchasing material and are busy preparing for upcoming Ganpati, Durga puja festivals. This ban will negatively impact lakhs of rural artisans. In view of Coronavirus crisis and worsened ecomic condition, he requested Javekar to suspend decision for next twelve months.

Furrmore, he urged  Environment Ministry to fund an initiative with any of IIT's, CSIR research laboratories, NCL, Pune for research and development of sustainable, cost-effective materials which can be me available to idol makers.

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CPCB bans plastic, plaster of Paris, rmocol to make idols

In a bid to ensure idol immersion in an eco-friendly manner in country, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has banned use of plastic, rmocol and plaster of Paris in making idols of gods and goddesses. CPCB has revised its 2010 guidelines on idol immersion after taking views of stakeholders, especially emphasising use of naturally occurring clay, colours in place of syntic paints and chemicals for colouring idols.

It said that use of single-use plastic and rmocol shall t be permitted at all and only eco-friendly material such as straw structures shall be used in making idols or decoration of idols/pandals/tazias in order to prevent pollution in recipient water bodies.

"Idols me up of only natural, bio-degrable, eco-friendly raw material without any toxic, irganic raw material [such as tritional virtuous clay and mud as well as free from plaster of Paris, plastic and rmocol (polystyrene) should be encourd, allowed and promoted, and idols me up of plaster of Paris (PoP) shall be banned.

"Only dried flower components for making ornaments of idols and natural resins of trees may be used as a shining material for making idols attractive," apex pollution control body said in its revised guidelines issued on Tuesday.

Every year, water bodies in country get highly polluted after idol immersion during festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi and Durga Pooja as idols are me up of irganic and toxic material inste of tritional eco-friendly mud and clay. guidelines formulated by CPCB in past have gone largely unheeded as water quality continued to go down after se festivals. revised guidelines have w prohibited use of toxic and n-biodegrable chemical dyes/oil paints for painting idols as well.

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