Ganesh Chaturthi date this years is September 2. Idols will be immeresed on September 12.

With Ganesh Chaturthi just round the corner, preparations are in full swing across the country. What's, however, different this time is the demand for eco-friendly Ganesha idols has gone up. The artists are experimenting with lentils, bamboo, waste papers and water-soluble colours to make the idols in such a way that there's little impact on the environment.

In Mumbai, a 22-feet Ganpati idol has been made of bamboo sticks, paper mash, water-soluble adhesives and colours.

"Around 15 labourers have worked for more than 6 months to make this 22-feet Bappa idol, weighing around 1500-2000 kg. It is completely made out of eco-friendly and water-soluble materials and its basic structure is expected to melt completely within 45 minutes of immersion into sea," Ajit Khot, one of the sculptors said.

"We have not used any flex boards for decoration and even the back of the idol will be covered with a big cloth," he added.

In Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad, the demand of eco-friendly Ganesha idols is surging this Ganesh Chaturthi. "We make idols of Lord Ganesha using clay and eco-friendly colours. They do not pollute rivers," an artist said.

A shop on Moradabad has idols of Lord Ganesh in varying sizes lined up. These are made of soil to prevent water pollution. Shailendra Kumar, a customer looking for the right idol said, "These idols have been made of soil which won't pollute our rivers. It will easily dissolve in water. The colour used in decoration is also edible."

Preparations for Ganesh Chaturthi started early on in Gujarat's Vadodara. Workshops are being organised to make Ganesha idols using clay and mud instead of the plaster of Paris.

In Tamil Nadu's Rameswaram too, Ganesha idols are being made using water-soluble waste-paper.

"We've been making Ganesh idols varying in sizes starting from three feet. We also make idols of 6, 9 and 11 feet in height. The materials used in the making of these statues are just papers which can easily dissolve in water," an idol-maker said.

Ganesh Chaturthi, which will be celebrated in most parts of India on September 2, is a 10-day festival. The Ganpati idols will be immersed in a water body on September 12.

(With Inputs From ANI)