Hubballi: With the Ganesha festival approaching, concerns are growing in Hubballi over idols made of plaster of Paris (PoP) and other chemical substances, even as traditional Ganesha idol makers have begun painting and completing the finishing work on idols across the city.More than 200 families dependent on the traditional Ganesha idol-making trade said they were worried about the increasing availability of PoP idols, which they claimed were steadily entering the market through various channels. Artisans said pressure from low-cost, mass-produced alternatives had affected demand for traditionally made idols and created uncertainty ahead of the festival season, which typically provides the bulk of their annual income.Satish Murgod, a traditional artisan, said the final stages of preparation had begun in workshops and neighbourhood units, with painting and finishing work being carried out alongside efforts to secure orders. He said that while artisans were striving to meet seasonal demand, the market had become increasingly challenging due to competition from PoP and chemically manufactured Ganesha idols, which were promoted as convenient and widely available.According to sources, traders dealing in PoP Ganesha idols began stocking products from neighbouring Maharashtra much earlier than usual. They attributed the move to concerns over checkpoints and other enforcement measures that could restrict the entry of such idols into the city and surrounding districts closer to the festival.Advance stocking was undertaken to avoid last-minute disruptions and ensure an uninterrupted supply during the peak sales period. Uncertainty surrounding transportation and enforcement measures made it necessary to plan logistics and storage well in advance, as traders feared restrictions at entry points could affect both sales and customer access in the days leading up to the festival.Rakesh Kamble, a traditional idol maker, said artisans were continuing their work in the hope that customers would prefer traditional clay idols despite the growing presence of PoP and chemically made Ganesha idols. He said the coming days would determine whether the market would continue to support traditional artisans or shift further towards PoP-based products.Rudresh Ghali, commissioner of the Hubballi-Dharwad Municipal Corporation (HDMC), said a crucial meeting had been scheduled on Monday to discuss effective measures to curb the sale and use of PoP Ganesha idols. He said officials from various zonal offices and other concerned departments would be directed to strictly enforce laws aimed at restricting PoP idols in the twin cities.
