Bombay HC reserves verdict, keeps 6 feet PoP idol rule

The Bombay High Court on Friday reserved its judgment on a petition seeking enforcement of CPCB guidelines banning the manufacture and immersion of Plaster of Paris idols. The court clarified that its interim order remains in force: idols taller than six feet may be immersed in natural water bodies, while those up to six feet must be immersed in artificial ponds.

The petition, filed by Thane resident Rohit Joshi, argues that manufacturers continue to produce PoP idols despite the ban. The Maharashtra government, which had sought three years to phase out PoP idols, was questioned by the court for its delay. Advocate general Milind Sathe submitted that the state followed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for eco-friendly clay idols but could not impose a complete ban this year as PoP idols had already been manufactured. The court noted the state's failure to assess the environmental impact and reserved its verdict.