Nagpur: Taking a serious view of PoP idols being installed by Ganesh Mandals, the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court on Wednesday verbally admonished the district administration and Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) over their failure to enforce ban on Plaster of Paris idols. Issuing a stern warning, the HC directed them to impose severe penalties and even prosecute Ganesh Mandals violating environmental norms.
A division bench of Justices Nitin Sambre and Abhay Mantri reprimanded the authorities for their lax enforcement of environmental guidelines, and directed them to take decisive action against those disregarding the ban on PoP idols. The bench insisted that violations should not only be met with heavy fines but also with criminal prosecution to deter future offences.
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Friday 22 Nov. 2024
The court ordered the NMC Commissioner to convene an immediate meeting with the Police Commissioner and senior officials to draft stringent guidelines for Ganesh Mandals. These guidelines should include harsh penalties and clear consequences for using PoP idols and for flouting environmental regulations, particularly those related to pollution of water bodies. NMC was directed to submit a compliance report by September 2, the date of next hearing.
The directives were issued in response to a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (No. 3/2021), which highlighted the escalating pollution in water bodies due to immersion of PoP idols, especially during the Ganesh and Durga festivals.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Commissioner has issued a warning to dealers selling PoP Ganesh idols, threatening a 10,000 fine and confiscation of idols. Nagpur police will assist in enforcing the ban through joint raids. Citizens expressed concerns over the timing, as markets are already stocked with these idols before the Ganesh Festival.
Nagpur Municipal Corporation has banned Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols to mitigate environmental harm. Nevertheless, enforcement, particularly in idol transportation, remains problematic. To enhance implementation, the NMC has requested Nagpur city police’s assistance. Municipal Commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari warned of strict penalties for dealers violating the ban, underscoring the civic body’s commitment to the initiative.
