Ban on POP idols affecting business of Hyderabad vendors

Ahead of the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, markets in Hyderabad become bustling with Lord Ganesh idols, but sellers claim this year’s business was hampered by the ban on the Plaster of Paris (POP) Ganesha idol. Speaking to ANI, Gangadhar, an Idol seller who has been in this profession for the past 11 years, said the POP ban has had an impact on business because many people’s daily wages are paid through this work. Ninety-nine people’s houses in Sholapur are run by this business, and they are concerned about the POP ban, he said.

“How is it possible to complete one year’s worth of work in two months? After this ban, we are not getting proper materials, and if we do, they are too expensive, so the public is having difficulty purchasing the idols,” Gangadhar said. “The materials we use are sourced from Mumbai, Sholapur, and Pune. We are also having difficulties, and our customers are having difficulty purchasing due to price increases,” he added.

Tanuj, a customer said, “We can see many different types of Ganesh idol here. I also found the prices are a little more reasonable here.” Another customer Arvind said he found many varieties in Ganesh idols, and the price was also affordable. “Ganesh idols come in a variety of styles, including Belapur Ganesh and Bala Ganesh. The prices are reasonable,” Arvind said.