Workshop in Bhopal on making eco-friendly idols

Bhopal, Aug 29: A workshop is being organised in Bhopal where people are learning the art of making eco- friendly idols, even as Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged those celebrating Durga Puja and Ganesh Utsav to use idols made from clay.

The workshop--'Aao banaayen apne haathon se apne Ganesh ki moorti' (Come, let us make with our hands idols of Ganesh)--is being organised under the aegis of 'Narmada Samagra', a festival in Bhopal aimed at drawing plan of action for river conservation and restoration activities.

According to an official release, addressing the workshop in Bhopal, Union Environment Minister Anil Madhav Dave asked children to make idols from natural soil, saying, "Prime Minister's inspiration, our efforts... Come, let us conserve water and protect environment."

Modi, earlier in his radio address 'Mann Ki Baat', appealed to celebrate Ganesh Utsav and Durga Puja in an eco-friendly way by using clay to carve out the idols. He gave a call to revive the old tradition of using natural soil for making idols to protect the environment and species living in water bodies from pollution. The workshop will continue in Bhopal till September 4.

PTI