Mumbai: The Bombay High court has asked the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to reply to Maharashtra government’s suggestion that idols made of Plaster of Paris (PoP) should be allowed to be immersed in large water bodies like oceans.
State advocate general Birendra Saraf told a bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Ms Karnik that they had appointed an expert committee to study the PoP uses in idol making and its effects in water and asked for recommendations / suggestions.
Saraf said that one of the recommendations is that the PoP idols can be immersed in large water bodies like oceans and not small water bodies like lakes and ponds. The report has been forwarded to the CPCB and a reply is awaited. “Maybe in a phase wise manner it can be done.. We have asked CPCB to consider it,” Saraf added. .
The AG emphasised that the ther report was prepared after considering inputs from all stakeholders. State has also suggested recycling of PoP by crushing the idols and processing for reuse. CPCB counsel told the bench that they are considering the report and sought time to respond.
The HC has on several occasions directed the State to implement the ban imposed on use of PoP by the CPCB in its revised guidelines in 2016. Clause 2.0 of the CPCB’s 2020 Revised Guidelines strictly prohibits immersion of PoP idols in natural water bodies. Several petitions have been filed in support of and against the guidelines.
Uday Warunjikar, counsel for one of the petitioner artisans using PoP, said that matter required urgent hearing since the idol making process starts 3-4 months before the festival. This year, the Ganesh festival falls in August.
However, Mihir Desai, counsel for petitioner seeking implementation of PoP ban, said that the CPCB would have to modify its guidelines if it agrees to State’s suggestion.
Warunjikar then suggested that the CPCB decision could take time and meanwhile the court commence hearing the petitions. The bench then asked the CPCB to file its reply and scheduled the matter for hearing in June.
PIL was filed in 2023 Thane-based activist Rohit Joshi and nine small-scale clay idol makers had sought strict enforcement of the ban. Plea has also been filed by Shri Ganesh Murtikar Utkarsha Sanstha Thane, an association of artisans, challenging the CPCB revised guidelines on idol immersion stating that the ban on PoP idols violated their fundamental rights of equality, right to practice any profession, right to life and liberty, freedom of religion, and protection of property of the Indian Constitution.
As per the report submitted by State –
Recent data indicates that the annual use of PoP was ~4500 Tons in the entire State of Maharashtra with the share of Mumbai at 675 Tons.
It was reported that in the year 2020, 2.32 lakh large and household idols were to be made in Mumbai. Of these, 15% were expected to be eco-friendly, made from clay and paper, while remaining used Plaster of Paris (PoP).
