India, July 13 -- In a bid to make the upcoming Ganeshotsav more environmentally friendly, the BMC is pulling out all the stops; it is distributing free shadu clay and eco-friendly paint and offering artists space to craft the idols.

By Saturday, the civic body had already distributed 858 tonnes of shadu clay to 477 idol makers, a record that surpasses the previous years. In 2024, around 600 tonnes of clay was distributed, while in 2023, the year the offer began, it was around 400 tonnes.

"The BMC has been giving shadu clay to all those who applied," said Prashant Sapkale, deputy commissioner of Zone 2 and BMC coordinator of the Ganesh festival. "The applications began from February, and till now, most requests have already come in. The...