Impose total ban on sale of Shri Ganesh murtis made of PoP, demands HJS with Goa CM

Panaji : Shri Ganesh Chaturthi is on 10th September this year. Although there is a ban on sale of Shri Ganesh murtis made of Plaster of Paris (PoP), murtis made with PoP are sold at some places in the State every year. At some places, murtis of PoP are plastered with  a layer of clay before sale. Shri Ganesh murtis made with PoP float in water after immersion and it causes desecration of Shri Ganesh; therefore, total ban should be imposed on sale of PoP murtis, by encouraging sale of Shri Ganesh murtis made with clay as the principle of Shri Ganesh is drawn more in such murtis. This demand was made by Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) through a memorandum submitted to the State Chief Minister Dr. Pramod Sawant. It has been further stated in the memorandum that as per spiritual science, Shri Ganesh murtis made with clay have capacity to attract Shri Ganesh principle on large scale; therefore, Shri Ganesh murtis should be made of only clay. Earlier, Goa Government had set up an action-force for implementation of ban to stop sale and import of Shri Ganesh murtis made with PoP. This action-force had officers from different departments like Environment, Pollution Control Board, Excise, Professional Tax and Police department. Such an action-force should be set up even now so as to implement the ban imposed on sale of Shri Ganesh murtis made with PoP. Preparing Shri Ganesh murtis from paper is also not recommended under ‘Dharma-shaastra’; therefore, use of even such murtis should be banned in the State. A copy of this memorandum has been sent to the Environment Minister, Minister for Arts and Culture, North Goa and the District Collector of South Goa.