Nagpur: In a significant development, the Maharashtra Government has assured the Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court that it will adhere to the revised guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) concerning idol immersion. These revised guidelines, dated May 12, 20220, are applicable to urban local bodies, Collectors, and Zilla Parishads, encompassing a broad spectrum of administrative bodies.
The announcement was made during a hearing presided over by a division bench comprising Justice Atul Chandurkar and Justice Vrushali Joshi. The hearing pertained to a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed in response to concerns about the sale of Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols, despite a ban imposed by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC).
The court proceedings saw a pivotal moment last year on July 13, when the High Court directed the government to formulate a new policy that promotes environmentally safe methods for the creation and immersion of idols, including tazia. This directive underscored the court’s commitment to safeguarding the environment and encouraging sustainable practices.
The government’s stance was clarified during an Assembly session, where it conveyed that while it hadn’t prohibited the creation of PoP idols, it had restricted their immersion in natural water bodies as a means to protect aquatic ecosystems.
During the course of the hearing, amicus curiae Shreerang Bhandarkar and Sejal Lakhanoi raised an important aspect, highlighting that the revised CPCB guidelines primarily addressed PoP idols. However, they advocated for a broader consideration that encompasses idols crafted from other earthen materials. This plea was grounded in the understanding that the paints and materials used in idol-making can potentially pose harm to water bodies and the overall environment.
Earlier, an affidavit by Deputy Secretary of State Environment and Climate Change Department, Chandrakant Vibhute, informed that the government had constituted two committees — administrative and technical — for complying with its orders. “These committees have conducted several meetings and framed the draft policy. The recent meeting was conducted under Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on May 17 which was attended by the senior officials from various state departments. They were joined online by Collectors, Zilla Parishad Chief Executive Officers (CEOs), representatives of Ganesh Mandals, idol makers associations and others,” he said.
Vibhute said that it was deliberated that the household Ganesh Idols should be eco-friendly and proper implementation be done in this regard. The CM had directed the authorities to take effective steps for celebration of festivals in an eco-friendly manner.
“A committee was constituted under the Chief Secretary for examining the feasibility of removing the polluting constituents in the PoP idols and submit a preliminary report within the next three months. It will also review the draft policy for eco-friendly celebration of festivals as per the CPCB guidelines for idol immersion and submit recommendations for implementing the same with or without any change,” he said.
Vibhute said that the government has also informed all the municipal commissioners to facilitate Ganesh idol sculptors by making space and loam soil available for casting traditional Idols in an eco-friendly manner.
