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Ganesh fest decor in Pune wears a polluting look this year - banned thermocol items openly on sale
Vendors are recycling stock from last year; customers cite this decor is much cheaper
The Ganesh festival begins on September 2 and the city is agog with faithful buying all sorts of decorations to adorn their display for Ganpati this season.
The wholesale market for these decorations is Bohri aali and Raviwar peth, and thermocol decoration, which are banned under regulation by the state government, are openly on sale.
March 23, 2018, state environment minister Ramdas Kadam announced the ban on plastic and thermocol in the state. According to the notification issued, “The Maharashtra Non-Biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act, 2006, for regulating Manufacture, Usage, Sale, Storage, Transport of the products made from plastic and thermocol etc., the Government of Maharashtra published the Maharashtra Plastic and Thermocol Products (Manufacture, Usage, Sale, Transport, Handling and Storage) are banned.”
In 2018, it is worth noting that Ganpati festivities in the city saw a noticeable drop in use of thermocol.
In 2019, thermocol is back. From small decoration items to mega sets designs, close to everything on sale in the city is in thermocol.
Prices range from as little as Rs 10 to Rs 5,000, and buyers too, when HT visited the market on Wednesday, range from households to housing societies and smaller mandals.
Vendor Satish Maru says, “We are aware that there is a ban on thermocol in the state, but there is demand coming from the public for these decoration items as there are comparatively cheaper than wooden or cardboard items. Some shopkeepers are selling, but it is old stock. There is no new stock coming to the market now.”
Meenal Salunkhe, a shopper, says, “Thermocol is harmful for the environment and should not be used in any way for decorations. I am surprised to see all these thermocol items sold openly in the marke. Government should take action.”
Another citizen and shopper, Rakesh Ankleja said, “Though it is banned in the state, thermocol decoration items are easy to handle and affordable. I have bought a thermocol set for this year Ganpati for Rs 1,200 and the same sized set in wood would cost me Rs 2,500. I preferred the thermocol.”
Upendra Kulkarni, Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) Pune regional officer said, “Sale of thermocol for decoration items is banned and it can be only used for packing material. The authority can take the action on whoever is selling these banned items.”
Dynaneshwar Molak, Pune Municipal Corporation’s deputy commissioner and head of solid waste management department, said, “Only some vendors had come to me with a request to allow for selling of thermocol decoration sets and I strictly denied them, as it is banned in the state. Anyone found selling thermocol decoration items in the city will face strict action according to the law.”
PMC waives mandal fees for Ganesh stages, ads on decor
The standing committee of the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), on Wednesday, waive off fees for mandas and advertisements displayed on mandal decor for this year’s Ganesh festival, scheduled to begin from September 2.
BJP elected members Hemant Rasane and Deepak Pote put the proposal to the standing committee, to waive off fees for Ganesh mandals in the city, and it was accepted and cleared.
The PMC has been charging mandals a fee to erect a stage and/patform to display their idols of Lord Ganesh; and also if the mandals display any advertisements on the stage or decor, a separate fee is levied.
Mandals in the city earn revnue by erecting stages and alowing private firms to use it for advertisements.
However, the standing committee unanimously approved the proposal to waive the fees.
Rasane said, “It was long-standing demand of the mandals as it eats into their funds. Donors are not giving as much as they used so advertisements are one way to get revenue.”
