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BANGALORE, INDIA, August 25, 2002: Come September 10 and most households will celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi. And even as they wait to buy Ganesha idols which have already hit the market shelves, the next step is to immerse them in water bodies in and around the city. However, according to Dr. Venkatesh, director of National Referral Centre for Lead Poisoning in India and professor of Biochemistry and Biophysics at St. John’s Medical College, if painted Ganesha idols are immersed in water, they will cause an increase in lead levels. This is because most paints used to decorate these idols contains high levels of lead. Water holes in which these idols are immersed get contaminated. Water from these tanks is consumed by cattle and other animals. In turn, by consuming their milk and flesh, harmful lead gets into our system. Devotees should seek out lead-free paint.

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