KSPCB holds safety check

BANGALORE: With less than a week remaining for Ganesha Chaturthi, officers from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) are on foot to ensure that the level of pollution remains minimised.On Thursday, an environmental officer from the KSPCB and National Referral Centre for Lead poisoning in India inspected four major idol making units around the city.“Idol making units at Basavangudi, Bull Temple Road, R V Road and Kamakshipalya were inspected.Ganesha idols, especially the big ones which were about 6-10 feet were tested for toxicity in the paints used for the idols,” said Vinay Kumar C, environmental researcher, NRCLPI.Speaking to Express about the inspection, he said, “We have collected the samples of two colours used for painting the idols from these units.In the next two days, we will be visiting a few other units.The samples collected will then be analyzed to check toxication.” “This done to create awareness about the harmful contents in the colours.Even the BBMP, Deputy Mayor who had visited these sites recently made it clear that the use of painted ganesha idols should be completely stopped from next year,” the engineer alerted.Meanwhile, water samples of the designated lakes which have been identified for immersion were taken on Thursday.K M Nagraj, Senior Environmental Officer, KSPCB, said, “We have taken water samples of Sankey Tank, Ulsoor Lake, Yediyur Lake and Lalbagh Lake in order to check for the impact of toxic paints on water bodies.Water samples from the same lakes will be taken on September 2nd, 7th and 9th, after the idols are immersed.” However, idol makers pour out their woes.Srinivas, an idol maker said, “After the festival, we take a month’s break, and start working on idols.It is too late for us to change to clay, we have made 1,000 idols.”