Now Reading: KSPCB bans PoP idols for Ganesha festival in Dharwad
-
01
KSPCB bans PoP idols for Ganesha festival in Dharwad
The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has prohibited the manufacture and sale of Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols painted with synthetic colours ahead of Ganesha Chaturthi in Dharwad district. The ban,…
The Story in Brief
The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has prohibited the manufacture and sale of Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols painted with synthetic colours ahead of Ganesha Chaturthi in Dharwad district. The ban, issued under Section 33(A) of the Water Act, 1974, also bars immersion of such idols in any lake or waterbody. The KSPCB has urged the public to use eco-friendly materials and separate wet waste like flowers and banana stems from idols before handing them to municipal collection vehicles. Legal action will be taken against violators.
The board said PoP idols and synthetic paints pollute water sources, harm aquatic life and threaten public health. For public pandals, organisers must obtain police permission for loudspeakers and noise-generating devices under the Noise Pollution Rules, 2000.
The Indian Opinion
Every year the same ritual: a pollution board ban, token compliance, and lakes choked with plaster. The KSPCB is right to invoke the Water Act, but the real test is enforcement. Will Hubballi-Dharwad authorities actually seize PoP idols from shops before the festival, or will devotees simply immerse them at night to avoid fines? The number of seizure cases filed in the next three weeks will tell us whether this order is serious or just a press release.
Source: deccanherald.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
