Mumbai: Aiming to strike a balance between Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal for an eco-friendly Ganeshotsav and the interests of local artisans, the Maharashtra government is expected to tell the Bombay High Court that it will promote clay idols, while also urging it not to prohibit Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols for this year’s festival, according to officials familiar with the matter.
Event Context
The stand was finalised at a meeting chaired by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday ahead of the hearing in a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a ban on PoP idols.
Environmental groups and other petitioners have sought strict implementation of the Central Pollution Control Board’s (CPCB) May 2020 guidelines, which discourage and effectively prohibit PoP idols on the grounds that they do not readily dissolve and can pollute water bodies. The petitioners have argued that permitting PoP idols defeats the objective of protecting rivers, lakes and the sea from pollution.
“Nearly 98% of PoP idols are now immersed in artificial ponds, significantly reducing the environmental impact. We will also place before the court the guidelines framed for recycling PoP material, initiatives to promote smaller idols, and awareness campaigns encouraging environmentally friendly practices. The expert committee appointed by the government has submitted its report, enabling us to take further stringent measures for environmental protection,” the official said.
Another official said that while the state government would assure the high court of taking additional measures to protect the environment, it would also request the court to permit the manufacture and use of PoP Ganesh idols, keeping in mind the interests of local artisans and the preparations already made for the upcoming festival.
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“The prime minister urged devotees to install clay Ganesh idols crafted by local artisans and appealed to people not to buy Plaster of Paris idols. The government has decided to inform the high court that it will promote and follow the prime minister’s appeal. At the same time, it also needs to bring to the court’s notice the difficulties artisans face in making non-PoP idols. Moreover, PoP idols for this year’s Ganesh festival have already been manufactured, as the festival is only a few weeks away,” said an official familiar with the developments.
The official added the state government would also apprise the high court of the steps it has taken over the years to minimise the environmental impact of the festival.
Match Outlook
The state government is also expected to apprise the court of the progress it has made in promoting eco-friendly Ganesh festivals over the past four years and the measures it has taken to protect the environment, officials said
While the state will back Modi’s recent appeal encouraging devotees to buy clay idols crafted by local artisans, it will also argue that the CPCB guidelines are advisory rather than mandatory, officials said. The government will also bring to the court’s notice the difficulties artisans face in making idols not made from PoP, and that an immediate ban would disrupt preparations for this year’s Ganesh festival, which will be held from September 14-25.
