Hyderabad: Officials involved in Ganesh idol immersion at the Hussainsagar appear to be facing an unusual challenge: Separating plaster of Paris (PoP) idols from clay idols. Some clay are idols painted in bright colours, just like PoP idols, leaving officials perplexed. Immersion of PoP idols at Hussainsagar has been barred by the court.
While the officials have stated unequivocally that pandal organisers must submit an undertaking revealing whether the Ganesh idols were made of PoP or clay, some pandal organisers appear to have declared PoP idols to be clay, putting the officials in a bind. Officials said they had no choice but to allow the brightly colored idols into Hussainsagar because they couldn't determine if the idols were made of clay or PoP.
Officials said the state government and the High Court made their task difficult by not issuing clear directives on PoP Ganesh idols in the Hussainsagar. Despite the fact that the High Court ordered the state government to prohibit the immersion of PoP idols beginning this year, there was no prohibition on the sale of such idols.
The government had not issued any GO prohibiting the immersion of PoP idols in Hussainsagar. Once a policy decision on the prohibition of PoP is made, the city's nodal agencies will ensure that only clay idols are immersed in Hussainsagar, the officials said.
According to a senior official who requested anonymity, all line departments, including the GHMC, HMWS&SB, HMDA, tri-commissionerates of Hyderabad, Cyberabad, and Rachakonda, and others, collaborated to make elaborate arrangements.
