The umbrella body for issuing permissions to Ganesh pandals in the city, Surat City Ganesh Samithi said that there has been a 20% rise in the sale of clay idols this year. In 2018, out of the 69,000 Ganesh idols, around 50 per cent were made of clay. In 2017, out of 58,000 idols, 40 per cent were clay-based. This year, around 70 per cent of over 72,000 Ganesh idols in the city are made of clay, Anil Biscuitwala, a samiti official, said. Owing to growing awareness among the masses about celebrating an eco-friendly festival, the demand for clay-based idols has increased, he added. Rural Development Department officer Hasmukh Trivedi said, “We have increased the number of stalls selling clay-made idols from 51 in 2018 to 67 this year. We have observed that over 75 artisans in Surat have shunned plaster of paris and adopted eco-friendly ways of making idols.” Over 72,000 Ganesh pujas are being observed in the city, the samiti official said. The city is decked up with laser lightnings and pandals. The Surat Municipal Corporation has already made 22 artificial ponds for the immersion of Ganesh idols below 5 feet, while those over 5 feet will be immersed directly into the sea at Dumas. It has also urged puja organisers to create a makeshift water body in their area and immerse small idols in it. The organisers have been asked to submit pictures of such immersion at the nearest municipal office, who will felicitate them soon after the festival is over.
