Minister calls for eco-friendly clay Ganesh idols ahead of festival - The HinduUpdated - September 07, 2026 08:09 pm IST - TIRUPATIHealth Minister Satya Kumar Yadav releases a poster by Tirupati Vinayaka Festival Committee promoting clay Ganesh idols, at a meeting in Tirupati on Monday. | Photo Credit: K.V. POORNACHANDRA KUMARMinister of Medical and Health Satya Kumar Yadav on Monday (September 7, 2026) appealed to the public to install eco-friendly clay Ganesh idols and to shun idols made of plaster of Paris or those painted with chemical substances for the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi festival.He was addressing the meeting of the Tirupati Vinayaka Festival Committee, a body that has been successfully coordinating the arrangements for the Ganesh festival for the last 25 years, starting from the erection of pandals at the street corners to the immersion of idols.With water levels declining in the tanks due to the impact of El Niño conditions, the Minister urged the public to install smaller-sized idols this year at street corners, gated communities, and apartments.“Vinayaka is associated with nature. The God stands for sustainability, as he appears in the form of turmeric paste, which is mixed with flowing water, leaving no trace of his presence. However, with the changing times, we have come up with synthetic alternatives in the name of making the idols colourful and eye-catching,” he said, calling it the right time to return to past practices.Andhra Pradesh Handicrafts Development Corporation chairman Pasupuleti Hariprasad, A.P. Yadava Welfare Corporation chairman G. Narasimha Yadav, A.P. Medical Council chairman Dr. Daggumati Srihari Rao, BJP State spokespersons G. Bhanuprakash Reddy and Kola Anand, Tirupati district president Samanchi Srinivas, SVBC chairman B. Sridhar Varma, former Deputy Mayor R.C. Munikrishna participated in the meeting.Published - September 07, 2026 08:08 pm ISTSign in to unlock member-only benefits!Access 10 free stories every monthSave stories to read laterAccess to comment on every storySign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single clickGet notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products${ ind + 1 } ${ device }Last active - ${ la }