A day ahead of the beginning of Ganesh Puja, the Telangana High Court has prohibited the immersion of plaster of Paris idols in Hyderabad's Hussain Sagar Lake.
The large water body in the heart of the city is where thousands of Ganesh idols are brought every year for immersion, a significant event marking the culmination of the 10-day religious festivities.
The court was reviewing a petition raising concerns about the pollution and environmental impact caused by the POP, chemical-laced colours etc used in the idol-making.
However, other idols can be immersed in the lake but at the Sanjeevaiah Park, PV Ghat side, the court said while forbidding immersions at Tank Bund.
In its interim orders on Thursday, the court has directed the Telangana government to ensure that the discarded materials are removed after the immersion event.
The court said that the plaster of Paris idols could be immersed in special, small ponds created for the purpose by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.
While asking the GHMC to supply free face masks to people on the immersion day, the court has directed the authorities to encourage the public to immerse the Ganesh idols set up in their homes in a bucket of water.
The state government, the Hyderabad civic body and the city police have to implement the court directions.
Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh High Court has on Wednesday allowed the setting up of Ganesh idols in private spaces but, following Covid-19 protocols, limiting the number of people present for puja in the pandals to five at a time. The court, after hearing a petition challenging the Jagan Mohan Reddy government's restrictions on the public festivities, has however disallowed the pandals in public spaces.
While noting that the citizens have the right to conduct their religious ceremonies, the court has also stressed the need to maintain public health during the time of a pandemic.
The Andhra Pradesh BJP is demanding the YSRCP government to lift the curbs imposed on Ganesh festivities.
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