Telangana HC bans immersion of POP Ganesh idols in Hussainsagar and city water bodies
No Ganesh statue constructed of plaster of paris (PoP) may be submerged in Hussainsagar or any other body of water within the boundaries of the city, according to the telangana High Court. The ghmc, HMDA, irrigation department, and police were ordered by the court to provide other arrangements, such as erecting baby ponds in which to submerge PoP idols. The orders issued by the high court in 2021 barring the immersion of POP idols in the city were still in effect, according to the division bench, which was made up of Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice N.V. shravan Kumar. The high court warned that disobeying court orders will result in dire consequences.
The court advised the party-in-person Mamidi venu madhav that he might approach the court with proper documentation if he discovered any violations of the high court judgement. The telangana Ganesh Murti Kalakar Welfare Association, Dhoolpet, and eight other petitioners had petitioned the court in 2022 to challenge the legality of revised guidelines clause 2.0 issued by the central pollution control board (CPCB), New Delhi, which forbade the creation and sale of PoP idols.
The high court heard the case together with other petitions that contested their immersion in Hussainsagar since the matter is still open and no circular has been issued about the prohibition of PoP idols. The division bench was informed by government attorney Harender Pershad that the 100 baby ponds (artificial ponds) built by the ghmc particularly for the purpose and not the Hussainsagar were used to immerse the PoP idols. According to Pershad, the National Green Tribunal and the supreme court affirmed the CPCB's updated guidelines clause 2.0 (i). The court stated that it will investigate whether the updated CPCB regulations were still in effect.
The court advised the party-in-person Mamidi venu madhav that he might approach the court with proper documentation if he discovered any violations of the high court judgement. The telangana Ganesh Murti Kalakar Welfare Association, Dhoolpet, and eight other petitioners had petitioned the court in 2022 to challenge the legality of revised guidelines clause 2.0 issued by the central pollution control board (CPCB), New Delhi, which forbade the creation and sale of PoP idols.
The high court heard the case together with other petitions that contested their immersion in Hussainsagar since the matter is still open and no circular has been issued about the prohibition of PoP idols. The division bench was informed by government attorney Harender Pershad that the 100 baby ponds (artificial ponds) built by the ghmc particularly for the purpose and not the Hussainsagar were used to immerse the PoP idols. According to Pershad, the National Green Tribunal and the supreme court affirmed the CPCB's updated guidelines clause 2.0 (i). The court stated that it will investigate whether the updated CPCB regulations were still in effect.