In a decision that will help the environment, Ganesh Mandal unions  have decided to create household idols for Ganeshotsav from clay this year. The decision was taken in a meeting held on Wednesday in the presence of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and government officials. However, the idol makers said they have no alternatives for Sarwajanik Mandal’s idols which could still be made of Plaster Of Paris (PoP).

Last year idol makers had refused to make the idols from clay. “We have decided that from this year all household Ganesh idols will be made with shadu (clay). A committee has also been formed to suggest how to reduce polluting substances in PoP or to suggest alternatives for it. But there is no alternative for Sarwajanik Mandal idols. But we are appealing to them to make eco-friendly idols,” said Naresh Dahibaonkar of the Brihanmumbai Sarvajanik Ganeshotsav Samanvay Samiti. There are 2 lakh household Ganpati idols and 10,000 sarvajanik idols in Mumbai.