In order to protect environment from pollution by encouraging the use of clay idols for the Ganesh festivities and also to provide alternate source of employment to the potters, the district administration has embarked on an ambitious task of providing training to the local potters to produce the eco-friendly clay Ganesh idols for the ensuing festival.
The district Backward Classes Welfare Department launched the novel programme of providing training to the potters in making clay idols by using the locally available black alluvial soil and natural colours.
District Collector Sarfaraz Ahmad formally inaugurated the three-day training programme at Ambedkar Stadium here on Tuesday.
In all 30 potters at the rate of two potters from each mandal are participating in the training programme.
Specially trained artisans from Hyderabad were imparting training to the local potters about how to prepare the clay by mixing with waste paper by soaking in water for two days to avoid cracks in the idols and use of coconut fibre.
They were also being taught about the preparation of idols by using the die-cast for different shapes of idols ranging from six inches to one feet. The potters were also being educating about giving final touches by using natural colours to the idols. Besides, the potters were also being educated about the marketing techniques to sell the clay idol along with a flower plant and tulasi sapling. District Backward Classes welfare officer J Ganga Reddy said that the potters, who were trained in making clay-idols, would in turn go to the villages and educate other potters to prepare clay idols and market during them during ensuing festival. Stating that there was good demand for clay idols in the district, he said that the potters after undergoing training would supply adequate quantity of clay idols for the benefit of devotees.
Employment generation
District Collector Sarfaraz Ahmad said that the government had taken up the programme of preparing clay idols to provide employment to the potters and also help check pollution of water bodies. He called upon the people to use only clay idols and discourage the use of plaster of Paris idols as it was pollution.
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