Mumbai: The stage is set for the sixth edition of The Free Press Journal’s FPJ Eco Ganesha Mumbai Mayor’s Choice Awards 2026, scheduled to take place on Friday, October 30 at 6:30 pm in Mumbai. Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde and other senior civic officials are expected to attend the ceremony, where nearly 40 awards will be presented to participants selected from around 2,000 entries received this year.
FPJ Eco Ganesha Mumbai Mayor's Choice Awards 2026 Ad | FPJ E-paper
Promoting Eco-friendly Ganeshotsav Celebrations
The annual initiative, organised by The Free Press Journal in collaboration with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), aims to encourage environmentally responsible celebrations during Ganeshotsav. It promotes the use of clay and other eco-friendly idols, natural colours and sustainable decorations as alternatives to Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols and plastic-based materials.
The awards recognise residents who have adopted greener practices during the festival across two broad categories, Individual Household and Housing Society. Participants showcase their eco-friendly Ganesh idols and decorations, with winners selected through an evaluation process involving an eminent celebrity jury. The Mayor’s Choice Award is among the special recognitions presented as part of the initiative.
Workshops Encourage Sustainable Festival Practices
Over the years, the campaign has combined public participation with on-ground awareness programmes to reduce the environmental impact of Ganeshotsav. These include hands-on clay idol-making workshops conducted ahead of the festival, offering students and young participants an opportunity to learn traditional techniques from experts.
The initiative has also worked with civic authorities to encourage artificial immersion ponds and reduce the pressure on natural water bodies. This year, the BMC increased the number of artificial immersion locations to 383. It also distributed more than 940 metric tonnes of clay and 25,400 litres of natural colours to support artisans adopting eco-friendly practices.
The campaign further seeks to encourage the use of biodegradable materials and sustainable decoration methods among households and housing societies. Through workshops, awareness drives and annual recognition, it aims to make environmentally conscious celebrations a wider community practice.
Recognising Mumbai’s Green Ganeshotsav Champions
Photographs and celebrations of the award-winning participants are also showcased in The Free Press Journal and Navshakti, providing public recognition to citizens contributing to a greener Ganeshotsav.
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