IndiaThe Bombay High Court is handling a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) aimed at enforcing the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guidelines regarding the immersion of Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols during the Ganeshotsav festival. The PIL, filed by Rohit Manohar Joshi and clay-idol craftsmen, seeks to prohibit the use of PoP idols in natural water bodies and hold idol-makers accountable under the Water Pollution Act. The CPCB issued guidelines in 2020 recommending the promotion of eco-friendly materials and banning PoP idols, but later stated these were advisory, not statutory. The court criticized this stance, emphasizing that other states and judicial bodies had already acted upon the guidelines. In 2024, the court ordered the Maharashtra government to ensure compliance with the CPCB rules and introduced suggestions for penalties to enforce adherence. In early 2025, an interim order temporarily banned the production and immersion of PoP idols, though this was later modified to allow their creation provided they are not immersed in natural water bodies without court approval.
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