MUMBAI, INDIA, August 31, 2001: Ganapati was again being crafted in plaster of paris this year, despite the efforts of NGOs and the police to encourage the return to traditional clay. As a result, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is readying its hammers and crowbars to break the Ganesha idols to pieces as plaster of paris creates environmental hazards and does not dissolve into the sea as the traditional clay would. Plaster of paris also contains chemicals that contribute to the environmental and ecological disaster and pollute the sea, rendering it dangerous for fish, fowl and human beings. The police and NGOs waged a campaign this year to educate people about the importance of making their Ganapati’s eco-friendly. But, it was difficult to persuade them to return to clay idols instead of plaster ones.
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