Shahdol residents were urged to use clay Ganesh idols for Ganeshotsav

To promote environmental protection and make citizens aware of the harmful effects of idols made of Plaster of Paris, the Madhya Pradesh Jan Abhiyan Parishad ran the ‘Mati Ganesh, Siddh Ganesh’ campaign. Under it, Jan Abhiyan members in Shahdol district trained people to make Ganesh idols from clay.

Training given on making clay Ganesh idols

Under the campaign, training in making clay Ganesh idols was given at the Zila Panchayat auditorium and in Karua gram panchayat of Gohparu block. Jan Abhiyan Parishad district coordinator Vivek Pandey said the upcoming Ganeshotsav should be celebrated with full devotion, and that people should use clay Ganesh idols to protect and promote the environment. He said clay idols dissolved in water without harming the environment and helped keep water and land clean. He added that the campaign inspired people to celebrate festivals in balance with nature. Other Jan Abhiyan Parishad members also appealed to citizens to bring home only clay Ganesh idols for Ganeshotsav and to fulfil their responsibility toward protecting the environment. During the training, sculptors Ritik Gupta and Santosh Kumar Singh also taught participants other techniques of making Ganesh idols in the traditional way. Those present included block coordinator Priya Singh Baghel, social worker Rajeshwar Udaniya, Nibha Gupta, Alok Kumar Sodhiya, trainers Praveen Dubey, Mukesh Kumar Pathak, Raj Pandey and Loknath Namdev, along with other members of the Prasphutan Samiti of the Jan Abhiyan Parishad’s Navankur organisation, and students of SW and MSW courses.