Green crusader walks from Hanamkonda to Hyderabad to save water bodies

Green crusader walks from Hanamkonda to Hyderabad to save water bodies

To impress upon officials concerned and Utsav committees of pandals so that they install only clay Ganesh idols instead of those made of Plaster of Paris (PoP), a 42-year-old environmental activist, Kolipaka Prakash, has embarked on a 150-km padayatra from Hanamkonda to Hyderabad.

“Manufacturing and installing PoP idols every Ganesh Chaturthi is rampant despite the so-called efforts made by the government, as the authorities lack sincerity. Some officials even approach the courts sometimes to see that water bodies are protected from pollution following the immersion of PoP idols, but these efforts yield no results due to delays. The authorities must conduct meetings with all stakeholders, including the idol makers, at least two months in advance so that they have time to make clay idols,” said Mr. Prakash, who reached Uppal on Sunday evening.

An MBA graduate, Mr. Prakash works at a private company in Kazipet. So far, he had conducted six padayatras. Four were from Hanamkonda to the Medaram tribal shrine in Mulugu district, where he appealed to the pilgrims to avoid plastic. One yatra was conducted from Hanamkonda to Khairatabad (Hyderabad) in 2018, urging people to shun PoP idols. Last year, he walked from Hanamkonda to Chevella demanding officials to protect the Banyan trees on the highway.

“Mr. Prakash has been actively associated with Vana Seva Samithi, a voluntary organisation working for protection of environment. He is a committed activist,” said former District Forest Officer (DFO) K. Purushotham.

He started his recent yatra from Hanamkonda on June 21. With the completion of this yatra, he will cover over 1,000 km by foot.