Goemkarponn Desk
PANAJI: Goa government today has increased subsidy to clay idol makers from Rs 100 per idol to Rs 200 per idol for a maximum of 250 numbers of Idols for the first 388 artisans.
GHRSSIDC Managing Director Ajay Gaude said that the artisans will have to submit an undertaking that these idols have been actually produced by him and not brought from outside the state.
The subsidy shall be applicable only to clay figures/idols made by Goan artisans.
The plaster of Paris (PoP) idols are cheaper in price compared to clay idols. However, PoP idols cause harm to the environment and water bodies when immersed in them as they do not melt and remain in the water bodies for years, thus polluting them. The clay idol makers have welcomed this decision of the government to double the subsidy amount.
Goa police will keep a strict check on state borders to stop the import of Ganesha idols made of Plaster of Paris (PoP) ahead of the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi festival, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant informed the state legislative assembly on Monday.
The state government’s increased efforts to uphold the prohibition are indicative of a larger dedication to safeguarding the environment and Goa’s biodiversity.
The government wants to encourage the use of environmentally friendly substitutes for the impending Ganesh Chaturthi celebration by prohibiting the entry and sale of PoP idols.