MANS writes to district collectors to follow ‘green code’ in mandals

IN A bid to ensure that the state goes ‘green’ this Ganeshotsav, the Maharashtra Andhashradha Nirmulan Samiti (MANS) has written to all district collectors to go in for eco-friendly Ganesh idols in Maharashtra.

“We have written to all the district collectors asking them to make the necessary arrangements to ensure that eco-friendly Ganesh idols are used this year. Last year, after the immersion, rivers had to be cleaned up and idols had to be removed from the water body in Kolhapur.
Therefore, we have urged people this year to go in for clay idols, which would dissolve in water,” said Hamid Dabholkar, son of slain activist Narendra Dabholkar, who also founded MANS.

In August, the Prime Minister had appealed to people to celebrate the festival in an eco-friendly manner, said Hamid.

The Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court had issued an order in 2011 asking the state to ensure that the festival is celebrated in an eco-friendly way following a MANS petition. The state then issued orders to all district collectors to take steps to ensure the state goes ‘green’.