Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court on Wednesday said it would not relax the conditions imposed on use of plaster of Paris (PoP) in manufacturing idols of Lord Ganesh, Goddess Durga and other deities.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Abhinand Kumar Shavili said when strict guidelines were issued by the Supreme Court on using plaster of Paris in idol-making and conditions imposed by the Central Pollution Board in immersion of idols in lakes, how the court could direct any relaxation to them.
However, the bench issued notices to the Union ministry of environment, Telangana state, GHMC, HMDA, Central Pollution Control Board, State Pollution Control Board, and Hyderabad and Cyberabad police commissioners to file their contentions in a petition seeking permission to use plaster of Paris in manufacturing idols.
The Telangana Ganesh Murthi Kalakar Welfare Association, Lodh Kshatriya Sadar Panchayat and several other individuals from Dhoolpet and Manghalhat, whose families were involved in idol-making for generations, approached the High Court requesting to provide some relaxation to the norms.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Pollution Control Board banned the usage of PoP in manufacturing idols on the ground that the water tanks and lakes will be affected seriously when idols are immersed, as PoP does not dissolve and it would threaten the existence of tanks.
The court issued notices to all respondents by directing them to file counter affidavits on the contentions of the petitioner in six weeks.
The petitioner’s counsel brought to the notice of the court that if immediate relief was not granted, then the families who were dependent on manufacturing of idols would lose their livelihood. But, the court did not incline to pass any interim order.
