Celebrate Vinayaka Chavithi in eco-friendly manner

Nandyal: Nandyal District Collector G Rajakumari has appealed to the public to celebrate Vinayaka Chavithi in an eco-friendly manner by worshipping clay Ganesha idols instead of those made with harmful chemicals.

On Wednesday, at her chamber in the Collectorate, she unveiled a poster promoting the slogan ‘Worship Clay Ganesha, Protect the Environment’ at a programme organised by the Pollution Control Board.

Speaking on the occasion, the Collector urged people to celebrate the festival on August 27 with joy and without causing environmental damage. She cautioned against the use of Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols, which contain hazardous substances like gypsum, sulphur, magnesium and lead. These chemicals do not easily dissolve in water and cause long-term harm to humans, plants and animals. Polluted water from these idols can lead to respiratory ailments, eye problems and even fatalities.

The Collector emphasised that replacing chemical-based idols with clay ones is essential to safeguard the environment. She stressed that the responsibility lies with every citizen to ensure that traditions are upheld without compromising ecological well-being.

In view of the festival, the Pollution Control Board will distribute 2,000 free clay Ganesha idols at the Nandyal Collectorate on August 25, as part of an awareness programme. Pollution Control Board Executive Engineer Kishore Reddy, Assistant Executive Engineer Ramakrishna, and staff members were present at the event.