PoP Idol Case: Bombay HC Keeps Restriction On Natural Water Body Immersion In Force Until Final Verdict

Mumbai, August 14, 2026: Until the Bombay High Court pronounces its final decision, devotees will not be able to immerse Plaster of Paris (PoP) Ganesh idols in natural water bodies without the court's permission. The interim restriction, imposed on June 9, 2025, remains in effect as the court awaits the verdict in a series of petitions regarding PoP idol usage.

The June 9, 2025, order lifted the earlier ban on the production and sale of PoP idols, following the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) shift in stance. Despite this, the court clarified that immersion of PoP idols in natural water bodies would still require its approval. During Friday's hearing, environmental activist and petitioner Rohit Joshi's advocate, Ronita Bhattacharyya, contended that the Maharashtra government's policy allowing idols up to six feet to be immersed in artificial ponds and larger idols in natural water bodies was ineffective.

She presented photographs from last year's immersion that demonstrated the practice's continued existence despite court directives and government policy. Bhattacharyya also dismissed claims that there was no scientific evidence linking PoP idols to harm or pollution, stating that a committee comprising scientists and experts, including those from the National Environment Engineering Research Institute (NEERI), had been established following the court's instructions.

She argued that the government's attempt to reintroduce the policy from the previous year was inconsistent with the Prime Minister's encouragement of clay-made idols. Additionally, Bhattacharyya emphasized that Maharashtra, as a progressive state, should not adopt a policy that other states might emulate. The bench reserved its judgment after considering the arguments presented by the petitioners, the state government, and other intervenors.

The state government's policy, implemented last year, expired in March 2026, and the government has expressed interest in reintroducing it.