Bombay high court has directed the central pollution control board (CPCB) to respond to the state govt request of allowing the ganpati idols made by POP to be allowed in large water bodies like Ocean. In response Birendra Saraf state Advocate General informed a bench comprising Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Ms. Karnik that an expert committee was appointed by the state to examine the use of PoP in idol-making and its environmental impact. The committee has submitted its recommendations.
According to Saraf, one of the key recommendations is to permit the immersion of PoP idols in larger water bodies like oceans, while continuing to prohibit their immersion in smaller water bodies such as lakes and ponds. He added, “Maybe in a phase-wise manner it can be done. We have asked CPCB to consider it.”
The Advocate General highlighted that the committee report was informed by stakeholder input. The state proposed recycling PoP by crushing used idols for material reuse.CPCB's counsel stated the board is reviewing the report and requested more time for a formal response. The High Court has repeatedly directed the state to enforce the CPCB's 2016 PoP ban, reinforced by the 2020 guidelines prohibiting PoP idol immersion in natural water bodies.
As per the FPJ report multiple petitions both support and oppose the ban.Advocate Uday Warunjikar, representing PoP artisans, argued for urgent hearing due to the festival's proximity (August) and the idol-making timeline.Advocate Mihir Desai, representing petitioners seeking strict enforcement, noted the CPCB would need to amend its guidelines to accept the state's recycling recommendation.Warunjikar urged the court to begin hearing petitions pending the CPCB's decision. The court directed the CPCB to file its reply and scheduled a hearing for June.
Thane-based activist Rohit Joshi along with nine small-scale clay idol makers filed Public Interest Litigation (PIL). A separate plea was filed by Shri Ganesh Murtikar Utkarsha Sanstha Thane, an association of artisans, challenging the CPCB guidelines on grounds that the PoP ban violates several fundamental rights, including equality, freedom of profession, religious freedom, and protection of property under the Indian Constitution.