Overview
- On Tuesday, August 4, 2026, the Maharashtra government told the Bombay High Court it is not feasible to ban Plaster of Paris (PoP) Ganesh idols for this year’s festival and asked for a phased two- to three-year phase-out while seeking continuation of last year’s immersion relaxations for large idols.
- The court has framed the case as an environmental question and clarified it will not interfere with religious practice, asking manufacturers and mandals to produce scientific proof that PoP does not harm water bodies.
- Local bodies such as the Panvel Municipal Corporation have already tightened rules by limiting PoP idol immersion up to six feet to municipal artificial ponds and requiring a visible red circular mark on PoP idols for identification.
- Petitioners and environmental lawyers argue PoP idols dissolve slowly and colours can be toxic, while manufacturers counter that the Central Pollution Control Board’s 2020 guidance is advisory and that a ban would affect their right to livelihood.
- The government has told the court it will collect PoP residue promptly and recycle it scientifically, but enforcement has been uneven in past years and the court’s pending orders ahead of the mid-September festival will shape how immersion and recycling are carried out this season.