Minister calls for eco-friendly clay Ganesh idols ahead of festival
Andhra Pradesh Health Minister Satya Kumar Yadav has urged the public to use eco-friendly clay Ganesh idols for the upcoming festival. He emphasized returning to traditional, sustainable practices to protect water bodies from chemical pollution.
Why it matters
This highlights the ongoing tension between traditional religious practices and environmental conservation efforts in India.
Minister of Medical and Health Satya Kumar Yadav on Monday (September 7, 2026) appealed to the public to install eco-friendly clay Ganesh idols and to shun idols made of plaster of Paris or those painted with chemical substances for the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi festival.
He was addressing the meeting of the Tirupati Vinayaka Festival Committee, a body that has been successfully coordinating the arrangements for the Ganesh festival for the last 25 years, starting from the erection of pandals at the street corners to the immersion of idols.
With water levels declining in the tanks due to the impact of El Niño conditions, the Minister urged the public to install smaller-sized idols this year at street corners, gated communities, and apartments.
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