GHMC to facilitate sale of green Ganeshas

Hyderabad, August 22 : GHMC Commissioner MT Krishna Babu informed that Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation will be providing the open spaces for manufacturing and sale / distribution of green Ganesha for a period of two to three months every year.

The Commissioner held a meeting with clay non Government organizations working for that cause in Panwar Hall on Thursday. He also said that the places identified should be litigation free duly involving the suggestions of local Corporators and Residential Welfare Associations and mere provision of open space doesn’t claim any right of that space, he added.

The GHMC will give permission to the NGOs 15 days prior to the festival to put up stalls for free / cost to cost distribution of clay Ganesha idols. The Commissioner has instructed all the Deputy Commissioners to coordinate with the NGOs to utilize the parks for distribution of clay Ganesha idols. He has also informed that GHMC is encouraging the clay Ganesha idol makers, who are distributing clay Ganesha idols on free of cost / no profit / livelihood earners.

The Commissioner opined that the idols which are made up of clay are better in every aspect and GHMC is taking up this cause to protect the environment from the hazardous chemicals. This meeting is intended to create awareness among the citizens especially motivating school children for their active participation in popularizing the clay Ganesha idols, he said. He further informed that GHMC will be encouraging whatever concept is scientifically proving correct, ultimately the decision will be taken by the people in this regard, he said. The GHMC will be providing mud / clay and blocks for the schools who will come forward to join in this concept and preference will be given to the children of Government schools, he added. He further directed the District Collectors concerned to coordinate with the school education officials to get the schools registered themselves for preparation of clay Ganesha idols.

Krishna Babu said that there should be some restriction in the size of the clay idol. Since the size of the idol is a sensitive issue the Government is also not in a position to take a decision in this regard. He further stated that the Government is spending around Rs. 300 crores for regeneration of Hussainsagar lake and even desilting is being taken up with huge expenditure.

K.S. Aditya, Youth for Seva, an NGO opined that the supply of clay material to various schools should be increased. The Commissioner informed that the telephone numbers of the concerned AMOHs will be given to the registered schools for getting information regarding the clay and the blocks. The telephone number of office of the Additional Commissioner (Health & Sanitation) 040-23222160 will be providing necessary assistance regarding clay and blocks at Head Office level, he added.

Dorai Raju, an NGO from Kukatpally said that involving of school children will derive good results and they are conducting drawing competitions with the concept “Mera Hara Bharath”. Bhavana Srinivas of Jagruthi Abhyudaya Sangham has informed that they are selling clay Ganesha idols for Re.1/- since so many years and in a survey conducted by them revealed that from the people who are using smaller size idols, more than 70 per cent people are using clay Ganesha idols.

Dr. Pushpa, an NGO from Programme for Environmental Awareness Schools (PEAS) opined that clay Ganesha idols will be colorful if they are painted with vegetable colors. Abhinav, an NGO from Hyderabad Goes Green opined that there is every need to provide financial support to the artisans who are making clay Ganesha idols. Responding to that, the Commissioner said that he will be coordinating with the B.C Corporation and Banks to provide loans / subsidy to the artisans.

L Vandan Kumar, Additional Commissioner (H&S), AMOHs, Members of various Non Governmental Organisations and Head Masters of various schools have participated in the meeting. INN