Panjim, September 16: Following Ganesh Visarjan, members of Yuva Shakti, led by president Shri Sujan Naik, conducted a Beach Cleanup and Idol Collection Drive at Miramar Beach on Wednesday morning.
The drive began at 6 am after several Ganesh idols were reportedly found floating near Miramar and Caranzalem beaches. Many of the idols, made of Plaster of Paris (POP), were found broken along the shoreline, raising concerns over marine pollution as well as the respectful handling of religious idols.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
During the drive, volunteers collected the idols from the beach and later conducted a Re-Visarjan (Punar-Visarjan) with the prescribed rituals.
According to Yuva Shakti, the initiative has been carried out annually for the past eight years with the twin objective of protecting Goa’s environment and maintaining the dignity associated with religious idols.
The group highlighted concerns over the use of POP idols, stating that the material does not dissolve easily in water and can contribute to pollution and affect marine life.
Yuva Shakti also appealed to citizens to opt for eco-friendly Shadu Mati (clay) idols, which dissolve naturally in water, as part of efforts to make festival celebrations more environmentally responsible.
The organisers thanked the volunteers who participated in the early-morning cleanup and helped keep Goa’s coastline clean while ensuring that damaged idols were handled respectfully.
