HYDERABAD: To create awareness and promote the use of eco-friendly clay Ganesh idols for the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi festival on September 7, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) will procure 3.10 lakh clay Ganesh idols and sell them free of cost to the citizens. These idols will come in three sizes and will be distributed to citizens through GHMC circles and zonal offices during the first week of September.
The Telangana Pollution Control Board’s (TGPCB) will distribute 1 lakh clay idols within Greater Hyderabad limits and 64,000 idols in 32 districts in Telangana. Additionally, the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA) will distribute over 1 lakh eight-inch clay idols at various locations across the city.
For the past decade, the state government has been advocating for Green Ganeshas or Clay Ganeshas. Last year, the response was positive, with many devotees opting for eco-friendly clay idols over Plaster of Paris (PoP). The three bodies - GHMC, TGPCB and HMDA - distributed around 6 lakh clay Ganesh idols in the city.
The civic body has invited tenders from registered societies, firms, manufacturers, and suppliers to provide these idols. The agencies must deliver the idols by August 31, 2024, using their own or hired transport.