Lead-free Puja still a distant dream

Keeping in mind,the toxicity of lead (see box),an eight-member committee was formed last year that comprised experts from Centre and the state. Their main mandate was to suggest guidelines for idol immersion.

The committee has submitted a report to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPBC),which is in the process of creating a common guideline for idol immersion.

“It was identified that lead used in idols pollutes the river. Lead in colours also affects aquaculture. Following a PIL,the CPCB had formed the committee to suggest a guideline for immersion. We have sent them our report and a draft of the guideline is being prepared,” said a senior scientist of WBPCB.

Despite the campaign started by the WBPCB to use lead-free paint on idols through posters and leaflets,no action could be taken against the idol makers in the absence of a clear policy on the issue.

The artisans at Kumartuli,despite having received the circular from WBPCB,are having a tough time to comply with it. One of the reasons is the high cost of lead-free and organic paints.

“We have nothing against lead-free paints as long as they are available in proper shades. With lead-free paints costing Rs 5,000 to Rs 4,000 and normal lead paints costing only Rs 1,000,who would want to spend more?” said Mintu Pal of Kumartuli Mritshilpa Sanskriti Samity. What makes the lead-free paints costly is the use of Titanium dioxide.

For some like Gautam Das,an idol maker in the business for the last 20 years,there was still a possibility of using lead-free paints on more idols had the campaign been started in June,when the idols were booked. With little time left and most of the raw materials already been purchased,they had no other option but to use the lead paints.

Though there were some idol makers like N Mallick who has received two orders for pollutant free paint on the idols. A recent study conducted by Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment tested 25 samples of popular enamel paints and found that 72 per cent of the samples had lead content much higher than the Bureau of Indian Standard limit.

Early this month,chairman of CPCB visited Kolkata to discuss the issue of banning colours with high lead and cadmium content. After several talks,the Centre took up a policy of freeing non-industrial paints of lead content and has already issued circulars to states,including Bengal,for phasing out the lead paints. The time frame for such toxic paints is 2013.

According to experts,the issue of lead is confined to non-industrial paints (constituting 80 per cent of total paint in India) and leaves out industrial paints (constituting 20 per cent of total paint in India).

Toxic paint
Prolonged Lead exposure leads to
* Nervous system damage
* Hearing loss
* Stunted growth
* Bone and kidney diseases
* Muscular weakness
* Anaemia

No respite from powercuts yet
With a day to go before the Pujas officially begin,Kolkata’s ordeal with powercuts seems far from over.

Parts of South Kolkata went without power from around 9.30 am to around 1 pm on Wednesday. According to sources at Calcutta Electric Supply Corporation (CESC),the demand during the morning peak hours was around 1400 KW. Except for a stretch near South City,the rest of the city,however,was relatively free from powercuts.

“Powercuts near South City had nothing to do with yesterday’s cable snapping. We had to lay a power line on that stretch and therefore had to shut down portions of Prince Anwar Shah Road,Jodhpur Park,Lake Gardens and Selimpur,” said a CESC official. The officials claimed no more cables will be laid before the Pujas.

The CESC,meanwhile,is waiting for the results of the expert committee in connection to Tuesday’s cable snapping that led to powercuts for almost eight hours. “We suspect that the uprooting of a tree in the area could have led to the cable snapping,” said an official.

This year,to ensure hassle-free Pujas,all generating stations of CESC will be operational and backed by 162 radio-linked service vans,district offices and control rooms run by the police.

With the CESC supplying power to some of the biggest pandals in the city,officials said pujas at Maddox Square,Ballygunge Sarbojannin,Suruchi Sangha,Muhammad Ali Park,Santosh Mitra Square,College Square and Mudiali are the ones with the highest demand.

The CESC has,meanwhile,provided temporary power connections to 3,145 Puja pandals this year. Two emergency service numbers are also being made available along with an SMS facility.

Emergency numbers: 9831079666,9831083700
SMS: CESC and send the message to 56070

The facility will be available from September 25 to 28