BENGALURU: In line with the all-round call to protect oneself from the rampaging coronavirus, the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board has appealed to households celebrating Ganesha Chaturthi to create homemade idols out of turmeric due to its intrinsic health benefits. The Board’s target is 10 lakh (1 million) idols for the festival, which falls on August 22. It has embarked on a massive social media campaign to achieve this.
The campaign just started on its website, its Facebook page, and on YouTube as well as a radio station and will soon be visible on milk packet covers, sweets boxes, and agarbatthi packets. Srinivasulu, member secretary, KSPCB, told The New Indian Express, “We are encouraging people to switch over to turmeric as it is a natural antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibiotic product which helps in sanitizing our home and protecting our environment.”
“Top soil is mainly used in making the idols. This clay is invaluable and the lifeline for agriculture. If say even 10 lakh in Bengaluru and another 10 lakh switch over to turmeric, the half a kg used in each of those idols can be saved.” By a rough estimate, 10 lakh kg of top soil saved will make a massive difference to the environment, he added. The turmeric Ganeshas can be dissolved in buckets and the water can be sprinkled in gardens with no harmful effects, Srinivasulu said.
So how do you actually create a turmeric Ganesha? A ‘Do it Yourself’ method put out by the Board on YouTube has a young guide explaining thus: Equal amounts of maida and turmeric with seven to eight spoonfuls of sugar and water are the ingredients.
For more info, access: https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=h6ZZtt ZHXp4&t=3s or click this homepage link of KSPCB: https://kspcb.gov.in/default.asp The KSPCB has challenged households to take photos of their turmeric Ganeshas and upload them on its Facebook page from August 21 to 23 and help reach the 1 million figure.