Green Drive: HMDA to distribute 1 lakh clay Ganesh idols for free

Hyderabad: To create awareness and promote the use of eco-friendly clay Ganesh idols for the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi festival, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) is going to distribute 1 lakh eco-friendly Ganesh idols free of cost to the citizens and discourage the use of Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols, which harm the environment. The distribution drive will take place at 34 locations across Hyderabad between August 24 and August 26.

According to HMDA, the authorities have been promoting the concept of ‘Eco Ganesha’, ‘Green Ganesha’, ‘Clay Ganesha’ since long, as immersion of such idols in water bodies may not have any debilitating effect on water quality. From the year 2017, the HMDA has been distributing clay Ganeshas to citizens on free of cost basis in order to minimise the usage of PoP based idols.

This year, HMDA is making arrangements to distribute 1 lakh clay Ganesh idols to the public, NGOs at 34 locations in Hyderabad for free of cost in a bid for the protection of the environment.

The distribution will be made at the Silent Valley Hills and KBR Park in Jubilee Hills, Road No 10, IAS Quarters, Banjara Hills, Begumpet, Press Club Hyderabad, Yellamma Temple Balkampet, Peddamma Temple, Jubilee Hills, Rythu Bazar Mehdipatnam, Shilparamam, Madhapur; Shilparamam Uppal, Metro store Kukatpally, Ganesh Temple Secunderabad, HMDA office Maitrivanam, Tank Bund, Secretariat, NTR Gardens, Priyadarshini Park Saroornagar, Rajiv Gandhi Park Vanasthalipuram, Kundan Bagh Begumpet, Durgam Cheruvu, Melkote park Narayanguda, VDP school Lal Darwaza, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Sainikpuri, Vayupuri Recreational centre, Safilguda park, MindSpace Junction, My Home Navadweepa Madhapur, Tarnaka Commercial complex, Indu Aranya Nagole, and HGCL office.

In addition to fixed centres, mobile distribution points are also being arranged at gated communities and Resident Welfare Associations.

HMDA officials, engineers, and other staff were engaged, and supervisory teams have been assigned to monitor the process at each location. Citizens can collect the Ganesh idols free of cost during the distribution drive.