Make a difference by recycling non-renewable Shadu Clay and redistributing it to artisans. The Ganapati Festival is a joyous occasion that unites people and reinforces their faith and cultural heritage. However, this celebration should not come at the expense of the environment or the well-being of other living beings. By adopting eco-friendly practices and acting as responsible citizens, we can honor both Ganesha and nature during the festivities.
PUNARAVARTAN is a campaign to reintroduce circularity to Indian rituals and festivals and make them completely zero waste by eCoexist Foundation. It promotes the reuse and recycling of Shadu Clay after immersions so that they are not treated as waste. 🌊Let’s protect our environment🌳and uphold our traditions 🕉️ Spread the word 😊 Visit https://punaravartan.org/ for more details.
We are happy to announce Balewadi Centre at our Rolling Nature office. Location: Rolling Nature, Balewadi https://g.co/kgs/gUjff5F
Dates: 15 & 22 September Time: 9 am to 1 pm
Contact : 9552207957, 9545549829
You can check your nearest center here: https://punaravartan.org/pune/#2024collectioncenters
What You Can Do?
- Donate Shadu Clay at our centre after immersion. Keep it free from different materials, flowers, and decorations.
- Home Immersion: Use a cloth at the bottom of the bucket for visarjan to collect, dry, and wrap the clay for handover.
- Society Level: Collect clay individually and collectively, ensuring no mix-up of materials.
- Riverside: Set aside clay idols after a dip in the river and store as is and return to us for artisans to convert into sludge.
Why Donate Shadu Clay?
Natural clay, known as Shaadu Maati, is a non-renewable resource mined from various parts of India and transported to cities for the creation of religious idols. Shadu clay idols, which are environmentally friendly, can be recycled, and citizens are encouraged to use them.
Artisans can easily reuse and recycle natural clay to craft new Ganesh idols. To enable this process, it is essential to collect the clay sludge in a clean manner, store it properly, and return it to the sculptors. This reduces the need for mining fresh clay, conserving natural resources. Donating Ganesha idols made of Shadu clay can significantly help in saving rivers.
The CPCB guidelines for Eco-friendly Ganesh Celebrations, 2020, advocate for the recycling of clay sludge. By opting for Shadu clay idols and donating them, you contribute to a circular economy where materials are reused rather than discarded. This helps in reducing the overall waste generated during the festival.
Donating Shadu clay idols encourages more people to adopt eco-friendly practices, creating a positive impact on the environment. It also supports local artisans who use sustainable materials.
Initiatives that promote the donation and recycling of Shadu clay idols often include educational campaigns. These campaigns raise awareness about the environmental benefits of using natural clay and the importance of sustainable celebrations.
By choosing and donating Shadu clay idols, you play a crucial role in protecting our rivers and promoting a healthier environment. With the ban on the use of plaster of Paris (PoP), the demand for natural clay is expected to rise, potentially leading to another ecological disaster. Additionally, when clay idols are immersed in natural water bodies, they form an impermeable layer on the riverbed. Currently, the clay sludge collected after immersion is either discarded in open mines around the city or some of it is poured back into the river.
Be responsible! Save our rivers!
During the festival, thousands of Ganesha idols are immersed in rivers, lakes, and ponds. These idols often contain harmful chemicals, paints, and dyes that contaminate the water, adversely affecting aquatic life. The idols also contribute to silt and debris, which reduce oxygen levels and increase water acidity. The water during this period is mostly stagnant, and the immersed idols take a long time to decompose.
Unfortunately, the Mula-Mutha River, which flows along a 22-km stretch through Pune city, was identified as Maharashtra’s second-most polluted river in 2018. According to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), it contains human and animal excreta three times above the safe limit.
The Mula and Mutha rivers have long faced a severe environmental crisis, polluted by untreated sewage, concrete waste, invasive plants, plastic garbage, and other hazardous substances. Various non-profit organizations, such as Pune River Revival and Jeevit Nadi Living River Foundation, are actively raising awareness about river conservation in Pune. Increased water pollution significantly harms the ecological biodiversity of our rivers.
“गणपति बप्पा मोरया, मंगळमूर्ती मोरया"
