We started Bappa Eco Idols because we watched the rivers of Pune turn grey every September. Not because of Bappa — because of what we were making him from.
Every Ganesh Chaturthi
Unlike a corporate "customers served" counter, these are numbers we wish were zero.
Sources: BMC 2024 data, Perfect Pollucon Services lab tests, CPCB guidelines, Toxics Link
Plaster of Paris is calcium sulphate hemihydrate. It does not dissolve — it crumbles and sinks, accumulating as toxic sludge on riverbeds for months.
Chemical paints release lead, mercury, cadmium and arsenic as the idol degrades. Oxygen levels drop, aquatic life dies. BOD levels spike dramatically post-visarjan.
Every year municipalities spend crores excavating accumulated PoP sludge from lakes and rivers. The Pune Municipal Corporation removes tonnes of this waste annually.
These scenes repeat every September across India's rivers and coastlines.
Images are illustrative. Real post-visarjan pollution is documented by CPCB, Toxics Link & NGT.
Not our opinion
NGT upholds CPCB ban on Plaster of Paris idols — Supreme Court refuses to hear appeal against the order
Bombay HC dismisses PIL challenging PoP ban — rules court cannot override NGT order upheld by Supreme Court
Maharashtra assures Nagpur bench it will implement policy banning PoP in Ganesh idols within 3 months
CPCB 2020 guidelines establish clear ban on Plaster of Paris for Ganesh idols — direct immersion in water bodies prohibited
Lab tests at Powai Lake detect 200% TDS spike within 24 hours of Visarjan, with lead, mercury and cadmium exceeding safety limits
100,000+ idols immersed in India's water bodies annually — BOD levels spike dramatically, aquatic life severely affected
Our idols are made from natural Shadu clay — the same material Ganesh idols have been made from for centuries. They dissolve completely in 2–3 hours. We use only mineral-based colours — no mercury, no lead, no cadmium.