BELAGAVI: An eco-friendly method of immersion of Ganesha idols at Nagardale in neighbouring Chandgad taluk is getting popular in several areas in and around Belagavi. The idols made of Plaster of Paris (POP) turn into fertilizers once they are immersed this way.
This way, it is also possible to tackle the rising conflicts between the government authorities and Ganesha mandals over installation of different kinds of Ganesha idols. For several years, water sources in Nagardale were drying up making it difficult for people to immerse hundreds of Ganesha idols installed by them. A group of 30 youths led Pradeep Devan and Amrut Gurav, both IT engineers from Nagardale and working in Pune, constructed an 8,000-litre tank in the village raising Rs 65,000 from people for idol immersion.
When the youth found that the PoP idols were not getting dissolved totally after immersion in the tank, they decided to find an alternative. When Pradeep was researching about it, he found that Pune-based National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) had successfully conducted an experiment to ensure that the PoP idols are dissolved completely. He approached NCL who then provided him about 300-kg ammonium bicarbonate free of cost to carry out a similar experiment in his village.
The youth, then mixed it in the water tank and asked all the villagers to immerse idols in it. Initially, the villagers refused, but were later convinced. About 450 Ganesha idols were immersed in the tank. A few days later, the chemical reaction between POP, which is calcium sulphate, and ammonium bicarbonate produced liquid ammonium sulphate. Liquid ammonium sulphate is an excellent fertilizer for vegetables and other plants. Another byproduct, calcium hydroxide produced in the process is used for making bricks.
On seeing the success of this experiment in Nagardale, neighbouring villages Nittur, Kalkundri, Malatwadi, Kadalage, Shivanage, Sambre, Karve, Nesari have adapted the idol-to-fertilizer pattern to immerse Ganesha idols since last year.
Speaking to TNSE, Pradeep Devan said, “Recognising our efforts to make villages eco-friendly, NCL provided about 1,500 kg ammonium bicarbonate last year. This year, NCL, Pune City Corporation and Commins India Foundation have jointly provided about 6 tonnes of ammonium bicarbonate worth Rs 1.5 lakh.”