Ganapati idols being made using shadu clay
Nashik : In one of the city’s largest eco-friendly Ganeshotsav awareness drives, around 40,000 students from municipal and private schools across Nashik participated in Nashik Municipal Corporation’s (NMC) ‘Eco Bappa 2.0’ initiative, and crafted Ganpati idols using natural ‘shadu’ clay ahead of the festival. As part of the initiative, the NMC distributed around 45 tonnes of shadu clay free of cost to students, encouraging them to make eco-friendly idols at home, instead of opting for Plaster-of-Paris (PoP) idols, known to cause water pollution after immersion. Last year, around 16,000 students from municipal and private schools participated in a similar initiative, and prepared Ganpati idols using 25 tonnes of shadu clay. Another official added that initiatives like ‘Eco Bappa 2.0’ promote eco-friendly celebrations, and inculcate environmental awareness among students at an early age, turning them into ambassadors of sustainable living within their families and community.
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A civic official said children can play a key role in influencing household decisions and encouraging the adoption of environmentally responsible practices during festivals. Addressing the gathering, Mahajan said protecting the environment through eco-friendly celebrations has become the need of the hour. He lauded the enthusiastic participation of students and said their involvement had helped spread the message of environmental conservation across the city.
Organised by the civic body’s environment department, the workshop was held on Wed at KTHM College, with participation from students, teachers and civic officials. The initiative is aimed at promoting sustainable Ganeshotsav celebrations, and creating awareness about environmental conservation among students and their families. Guardian minister Girish Mahajan, MLA Devyani Pharande, district collector Ayush Prasad, Nashik-Trimbakeshwar Kumbh Mela Authority commissioner Shekhar Singh, Nashik mayor Himgauri Aher, deputy mayor Vilas Shinde, municipal officials and school representatives attended the programme. He urged citizens to choose environment-friendly idols and adopt sustainable practices during the upcoming Ganeshotsav. The workshop marks a significant expansion of the civic body’s eco-friendly Ganesh campaign. Encouraged by the response, NMC scaled up the programme this year, with increased student participation and clay distribution. Deputy commissioner of NMC’s environment department, Sangeeta Nandurkar appealed to Nashik residents to celebrate Ganeshotsav responsibly, while preserving the festival’s rich traditions. She urged citizens to contribute to environmental protection by opting for shadu clay idols, and reducing dependence on PoP idols. Download the TOI App.