By Satish Shile, DH News Service, Bangalore: Chemistry students of MES College in Malleswaram were into a rude shock after conducting an experiment to check the quantity of lead in a Ganesha idol... They immersed a painted Ganesha idol weighing one kg in fresh water only to find that the quantity of lead had gone up from 3 micro gram per deci litre (100 ml) to 8.6 micro gram deci litre! However, permitted limit of lead quantity in drinking water is only 1 micro gram per deci litre. This sums up the ill-effect of using painted Ganesha idols. Students of MES College have taken up a project to study the impact of painted Ganesha idols on nature. As part of the survey, they measured release of lead to nature after the immersion of Ganesha idols. Prof C Ananth, Head of the Department of Chemistry, MES College, said lead is a toxic chemical causing serious health problems. Among children, it affects the central nervous system leading to dip in IQ level. Among elders it causes anaemia, respiratory diseases and infertility. Students of the College did a survey on sale of Ganesha idols in Bangalore in the recent months. On an average, 2 lakh idols are sold every year. Each painted idol, on an average, consists 4 gm of lead. After immersion, they found that 8,000 kg of lead is released into nature. Awareness campaign National Referral Center for Lead Poisoning in India (NRCLPI) in association with MES College, Crafts Council of Karnataka is holding massive campaign to spread awareness on use of eco-friendly (unpainted) Ganesha idols. Malleswaram area has been chosen for this year's campaign. Malleswaram Residents Eco-Ganesha Committee has come into existence under the leadership of MLA Dr C N Ashwatha Narayana. The committee is committed to promote use of unpainted Ganesha idols this time. Convener N Shashidhar said "At home, Ganesha idols are worshipped and covered with flowers. So, how does it matter whether we worship a painted idol or unpainted?'. As part of the awareness campaign, students of MES College and members of the committee are taking out a jatha in the streets of Malleswaram on Sunday. Focus of the campaign is to appeal to the public to use only unpainted clay idols. "Idols made of plaster of paris takes long time to dissolve in water. The water becomes hard too. People should go only for clay idols', Prof Ananth said. Many idol makers have been involved in awareness campaign. "Last year we did similar campaign. But the result was not very encouraging. This time we involved many idol makers in our campaign. I hope this time there will be good response from the public', said NRCLPI director Dr Thuppil Venkatesh.