State makes it mandatory to immerse Ganpati idols under 5 feet in artificial tanks
The announcement was made by advocate general Dr Birendra Saraf while responding to a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by activist Rohit Manohar, who raised concerns about the environmental impact of immersing Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols in natural water bodies.
'Until now, using artificial tanks for immersion was optional. But in keeping with the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guidelines, immersion of idols up to 5 feet in height must now be done only in artificial ponds provided by local authorities,' Dr Saraf told a division bench of chief justice Alok Aradhe and justice Sandeep Marne.
He clarified that there is no such mandatory rule for idols taller than 5 feet, but added that civic bodies will collect such idols a day after immersion and clean the natural water bodies where they are placed.
Saraf also pointed out emerging eco-friendly trends. 'Many people now immerse idols at home, including edible Ganpatis made of chocolate that dissolve in milk, which is then distributed as prasad,' he said. He added that in Pune, some Ganpati mandals follow the CPCB's suggestion of not immersing large idols at all, and instead use smaller replicas made of shadu mati (natural clay) for immersion.
The PIL had earlier prompted the High Court to allow the manufacture of PoP idols, but with a strict caveat: they could not be immersed in lakes, rivers or other natural water bodies without explicit permission.
When asked by the court about the number of idols typically immersed in Mumbai, Saraf cited government data showing nearly 195,000 idols under 5 feet and just over 7,000 idols above that height are immersed during the festival. This includes 3,865 idols between 5 to 10 feet and 3,998 idols above 10 feet.
Concerned about the pollution caused by these taller idols, the court asked whether it was technically feasible to build artificial ponds deep enough to accommodate them. 'Can you make 25-foot-deep tanks for 10-foot idols?' the bench asked.
Dr Saraf responded that while tanks up to 5 feet deep are currently feasible, creating much larger ones is not practical at this stage. He added that the state was in the process of forming an expert committee to study alternatives, including solutions for soluble idols.
'You'll have to come up with an environmentally safe solution for idols made of dissolvable materials,' the court said, directing the state to present its plan in future hearings.
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