Modi in his monthly ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio programme on Sunday had urged those celebrating Durga Puja and Ganesh Utsav to use idols made from clay. The 10-day-long Ganesh festival begins September 5.

Civic Commissioner Vinod Rao told PTI the “eco-friendly” Ganesh Mandals will be judged on the type of materials they use for making the idol and other parameters for decoration. Moreover, the overall cleanliness inside the Pandals throughout the festival will be judged by a panel of experts.

The winners will be judged on the theme, the social message and the overall presentation (of the decoration). The final results will be declared after the festival is over, he added. Mayor Bharat Dangar claimed the civic body is first in the country to hold such a competition.

“We decided to hold the competition to inculcate a sense of responsibility towards the environment and of cleanliness in Ganesh Madals. This will ensure no toxic elements are released when dismantling the Mandal after the immersion,” Dangar said.