Festival demand triggers rise in flower, fruit prices

Vizianagaram: Shops in towns and mandal headquarters are crammed with customers as thousands of people came to markets to purchase various items to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi on Monday. As a result, the price of fruits and flowers have touched roof.

Apart from these items, various organisations have conducted awareness programmes and advised the public to install clay Ganesha idols in their pandals to protect the environment.

Schools have conducted a massive programme of making eco-friendly clay Ganesha idols and distributed them to their children. Even, the small villages and towns also turn into festive mood and the youth in every village and colony has been preparing to celebrate the festival in a grand manner.

In this connection, they have been making arrangements for the past three days. Various associations like auto drivers' association and merchants' association are involving in the festival activities and installing huge idols of Ganesha and decorating the pandals like cinema settings.

Many voluntary bodies and educational institutions have organised awareness programmes to public on clay Ganesha idols instead of using idols made of Plaster of Paris. They also distributed clay idols to students and public appealing them to protect environment.

As a result, people also preferred to install clay idols. Meanwhile all the markets and shops are crammed with customers on Sunday as thousands of people arrived to purchase festival items, groceries and other food items to prepare special dishes on Monday, the Ganesha Chaturthi day.

On the other side, prices of pooja items like coconuts, flowers, sugar cane, maize and custard apples have raised abnormally burn a big hole in pocket. Even Patri, and other mango leaves are being sold at high rate. Each coconut costs Rs 25 and marry gold flowers are being sold at Rs 10 a dozen.