Being environment-friendly

Karnataka Transport Minister Ramalinga Reddy received more invitations to visit Ganesha pandals this festive season than he could hope to attend. So he devised a simple rule to whittle down the list: he would visit a pandal only if it was eco-friendly; plaster of Paris idols were also a no-no.

Reddy was inspired by his daughter, Soumya, who runs a vegan restaurant in Bengaluru. For her wedding last November, she tied up with a green organisation, Hasiru Dala (Green Force), to ensure the event was environment-friendly and there was no wastage of food.