The Bombay High Court on Wednesday pressed the Maharashtra government over its continued delay in phasing out Plaster of Paris, or PoP, idols despite having already been granted a full year to complete the transition to eco-friendly clay alternatives. The remarks came during a hearing on July 16, as the state once again sought additional time to implement the switch, even as environmental concerns tied to idol immersion persist.
A division bench of Justices Ajey Gadkari and Kamal Khata did not mince words while addressing the state's request. The judges noted that both the Maharashtra government and PoP idol manufacturers had already been given a one-year extension last year specifically to enable the shift toward clay idols. "You were given a one-year notice, so you should have stopped it. That is exactly what the guidelines state," the bench observed, underscoring that the timeline for compliance had long been established and understood by all parties involved.
The case has a lengthy backdrop. The Central Pollution Control Board issued clear guidelines on the matter back in 2020, laying out the environmental rationale for moving away from PoP, a material that does not dissolve easily in water and is widely blamed for contaminating rivers, lakes and coastal waters after idol immersions during festivals such as Ganesh Chaturthi. The Bombay High Court itself followed up with its own directives in 2025, reinforcing the expectation that government bodies, manufacturers and local authorities would act on the transition. With guidelines and court orders already in place for years, the bench appeared to question why full implementation remained elusive.
Several specific developments emerged during the hearing that illustrate where the process currently stands:
- The state government reported a decrease in the number of idols taller than six feet, which it presented as evidence of at least partial compliance on the ground.
- A pilot project aimed at collecting and recycling PoP material after immersion is currently being conducted by the state.
- The court stressed that a broader shift in public mindset toward environmental protection is necessary, pointing to practices observed in other countries as a possible model.
Advocate General Milind Sathe, representing the state, defended the current policy framework by explaining that under existing rules, only idols taller than six feet are permitted to be immersed in natural water bodies, while smaller idols are required to be immersed in artificial ponds instead. He added that the state is also exploring methods to recycle PoP material collected after immersion, part of the pilot initiative referenced during the hearing. These measures, according to the state's submission, represent an incremental approach to reducing the environmental footprint of idol immersion while a complete transition to clay is worked out.
Representing idol manufacturers, Advocate Uday Warunjikar argued for a further extension of one to two years, contending that an immediate switch to clay idols is not practical without a corresponding shift in public mindset and demand. His argument reflects a long-standing tension in the debate: PoP idols became popular largely because they are cheaper and easier to mass-produce than traditional clay idols, and manufacturers have said that abruptly abandoning the material could disrupt an industry built around it over decades.
On the opposing side, Advocate Mihir Desai, representing environmentalist Rohit Joshi, who originally filed the petitions seeking stricter enforcement, told the court that judicial directives on this issue date back to 2013. Despite more than a decade of court intervention, he argued, implementation on the ground remains insufficient. That timeline highlights how the debate over PoP idols is not a new phenomenon but one that has repeatedly resurfaced in Maharashtra's courts without reaching a definitive resolution.
It is worth noting that clay idols were the customary choice for religious festivals for generations before PoP idols gained dominance, a shift driven largely by cost considerations and ease of production. In that sense, the push being urged by the court and environmental petitioners is less about introducing an entirely unfamiliar practice and more about reviving a tradition that predates the widespread use of synthetic materials. For many households and idol-makers, though, the economics of clay versus PoP remain a practical concern that intersects with questions of livelihood, affordability and festival customs observed by millions across the state each year.
The bench cautioned that continued delay in enforcing the transition could result in irreversible damage to natural water resources, a warning that reflects the scientific concern that pollutants and non-biodegradable material accumulating in rivers, lakes and coastal areas cannot always be reversed once discharged. The hearing is set to continue, with the court attempting to balance environmental protection goals against the practical and economic concerns raised by manufacturers. The case underscores the broader challenge facing regulators in Maharashtra and elsewhere: translating environmental guidelines and court orders into consistent, on-the-ground compliance across an industry and public accustomed to long-standing practices, even as the ecological stakes of inaction continue to mount.
