In a bid to reduce water pollution during Ganeshotsav, the Maharashtra government informed the Bombay High Court on July 23 that it will now be mandatory to immerse all Ganesh idols up to 5 feet in artificial ponds provided by local municipal bodies in the state.
The announcement was made by Advocate General Dr. Birendra Saraf while responding to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by activist Rohit Manohar, who had raised concerns about the environmental impact of immersing Plaster of Paris (POP) idols in natural water bodies.
“Till now, the use of artificial ponds for immersion was optional. But as per the guidelines of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), now idols up to 5 feet in height will have to be immersed in artificial ponds provided by local authorities,” Dr. Saraf told a bench of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne.
When asked by the court how many idols are usually immersed in Mumbai, citing government figures, Saraf said that around 1,95,000 idols of less than 5 feet in height and 7,000 idols of more than 10 feet in height are immersed during the festival.
This includes 3,865 idols between 5 and 10 feet in height and 3,998 idols of more than 10 feet in height.
Concerned about the pollution caused by these tall idols, the court asked whether it was technically possible to build artificial lakes deep enough to accommodate them. “Can you make a 25-foot deep lake for 10-foot idols?” the bench asked.
“You have to find an environmentally safe solution for idols made of soluble materials,” the court said and directed the state to submit its plan in a future hearing.
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