Nagpur: Municipal Commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari has issued a stern warning to traders selling banned Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols in Nagpur, stating any shop caught selling them for a second time will be shut down in addition to legal action, following High Court directives.
The Nuisance Detection Squad (NDS) of Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has been actively inspecting shops, confiscating PoP idols, and imposing fines of Rs 10,000 on violators. The squad will also revisit these shops to ensure compliance with the ban. Chaudhari emphasised if a shop is found selling PoP idols again, its licence would be suspended and the shop sealed.
Efforts are being made to promote an eco-friendly Ganesh festival in the city, with NMC taking daily punitive actions against PoP idol sellers. Since August 28, NDS under Deputy Municipal Commissioner Gajendra Mahalle and Commandant Virsen Tambe has confiscated 1,376 banned idols, imposing fines totalling Rs 10.9 lakh on several shopkeepers.
In addition to enforcement measures, workshops for children to create eco-friendly clay Ganesh idols have been organised, and other initiatives are being emphasised to strengthen the foundation of an environmentally conscious festival.
Chaudhari also urged citizens to be vigilant when purchasing Bappa idols, as some shopkeepers were found selling PoP idols last year, while claiming they were made of clay. He advised buyers to ensure they are purchasing genuine clay idols and encouraged them to file complaints if they are deceived, promising strict action against fraudulent traders.
PoP idols are brought from outside the city. Discussions have been held with the Commissioner of Police to stop them from entering the city through national and state highways. Chaudhari said while it may not be possible to halt all PoP idol imports this year, stronger measures will be implemented in future.
