Keri: As Ganesh Chaturthi approaches, the Goa State Biodiversity Board (GSBB), in association with the Bhagirath Gramvikas Pratishthan of Zarap, organised a two-day workshop to popularise the making of eco-friendly Ganesh idols among Goan artisans. The initiative comes amid continuing concern that, every year, despite a legal ban on bringing plaster of paris (PoP) idols into the state, large numbers are still transported, installed for worship, and later immersed in water bodies — creating an environmental problem that does not end with the festival.Unlike traditional clay idols that dissolve naturally, PoP idols do not break down in water. After immersion, they harden, reduce oxygen levels, and harm aquatic life, turning a ritual into a recurring worry for lakes, rivers, and coastal waters. To tackle the issue, GSBB brought together 30 artisans from across the state, from Pernem to Canacona, for hands-on training in making eco-friendly Ganesh idols using a mixture of cow dung and locally available clay.GSBB member secretary Pradeep Sarmokadam said there is an urgent need to make eco-friendly Ganesh idols widely available and popular during the festival. He said the training imparted would help create a practical alternative to PoP idols in Goa and support efforts to protect the environment and aquatic life.Prasad Devdhar of Bhagirath Gramvikas Pratishthan also stressed the need to popularise the craft so that worshippers have a viable option instead of PoP.For artisans, the workshop offered both technique and purpose. Suryakant Gaonkar of Bhuipal, who participated, said they learnt to make eco-friendly Ganesh idols from cow dung and locally available clay and that he would work to spread awareness about using these idols painted with organic colours.The push for alternatives also reflects the limits of enforcement. Despite directives issued by the Goa State Pollution Control Board, such idols continue to be brought in and sold. Once immersed, they clog water bodies because the calcium sulfate in PoP does not break down naturally.
