KOLHAPUR: Seventeen years since the movement of donating Ganesh idols began in the city, enthusiastic support from citizens ensured that a whopping 62,390 idols were donated on Saturday. Moreover, all the nirmalya, which would otherwise end up in Panchgangariver, was collected by the civic teams.
The movement of Ganesh idol donation was started by city-based environmental activists in 1998 and encouraged by slain rationalist Narendra Dabholkar since 1999. In its first year, just about 3,500 idols were donated. The movement has come a long way since then.
Over 500 employees of Kolhapur Municipal Corporation (KMC), hundreds of activists and volunteers worked tirelessly to ensure maximum idol donations. The civic body had identified 17 places with artificial ponds.
On Saturday, the citizens began streaming in around 4pm for idol immersion. Along the route, messages to save Panchgangariver and donate idols were made every minute. "The turnout was so high that we increased the volunteers to receive the idols and manage the queue. Very few people immersed idols in the lake, many just dipped the idol in lake and then donated it," said a volunteer of PanchgangaGhatSamvardhanSamiti deployed at Kotitirth Lake.
At Kotitirthlake, KMC set up one artificial kunds, while one kund each was placed at Rajarampuri and near CSIBER College. Over 80 students of Shivaji University and other institutes were appealing to people to donate idols and nirmalya. The KMC placed containers to collect nirmalya in dry and wet form. Over 7,000 idols were donated at Kalambalake, which had run dry last year.
Avani and Ekatiorganisations working for ragpickers and homeless women had deployed over 250 women volunteers across 12 locations to collect nirmalya. "Last year, we collected seven tonnes of nirmalya and made 2.5 tonnes of manure. It helped nurture 320 trees. , said AnuradhaBhosale, founder of the organisations.
Recently, PM Narendra Modi lauded the efforts of two organisations from city-NisargaMitra and VidnyanPrabhodini-for celebrating Ganesh festival in eco-friendly manner. Anil Chougule of NisargaMitra has taken up the cause to spread the use of ammonium bicarbonate solution to dissolve idols made of Plaster of Paris (PoP) and performed trials at Ganjivali quarry in Belbaug area.
"Citizens can immerse PoP idols at home using the solution. Local authorities in Pune have sponsors to provide the solution. We don't want sponsors as we want people to buy it every time the festival arrives. The PoP idols with natural colours can be dissolved easily and the sludge can be used for growing trees," said Chougule.
Maharashtra AndhshraddhaNirmoolanSamiti (MANS), which was founded by Dabholkar, has taken the lead to spread awareness about river pollution caused by PoP idols. MANS activist Krushnat Kore said, "Kolhapur has become the model regarding idol donation. The movement has come a long way and has seen ups and downs. People have accepted the scientific approach towards idol and nirmalya donation."
