BENGALURU: A few days ahead of Ganesha Chaturthi, the Department of Environment, Ecology and Forests on Friday banned the manufacture, sale and immersion of Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols to prevent water pollution and damage to marine ecology. The order comes after a meeting between Forest Minister Eshwar Khandre and other stakeholders. It was attended by district commissioners, CEOs, heads of urban local bodies, and panchayats. When PoP idols are immersed, those with chemical paints leave an oil layer on the water’s surface, plummeting oxygen levels and killing fish. Khandre told TNIE that in 2016, the state government had banned the manufacture of PoP idols. The central government in 2020 banned the transportation, storage, sale and immersion of these idols. Now, the state government has banned the sale, manufacture and immersion of such idols, with orders against transportation already in place. As per the order, a committee will be formed comprising SPs, environmental officers, officials of the transport department, commercial taxes, education department, CEOs, panchayat members, and heads of local bodies, to monitor commercial units and also where the idols would be installed. “Once the idol is installed, nothing can be done as religious sentiments are involved and we do not want to hurt sentiments. Hence, all measures are being taken to ensure that PoP idols are not installed. Although we are a bit late, the process has started,” Khandre said. A senior KSPCB official, on condition of anonymity, said when the government has issued orders banning sale, manufacture and immersion, the installation also becomes a part of it. So far, cases have been booked under Section 24 of the Water Act, 1974, and Section 15 of the Environment Protection Act. After the order, cases will be booked under IPC Section 108 with raids on manufacturers and those stocking material will continue through the year, he said
