Overview

• On June 30, the government informed the Bombay High Court that interdepartmental consultations have taken place and that it requires three weeks to finalise its Plaster of Paris idol immersion policy.
• The bench led by Chief Justice Alok Aradhe and Justice Sandeep Marne approved the extension but mandated a July 23 deadline to ensure review before the Ganesh festival.
• In early June, the court granted interim relief allowing the manufacture and sale of PoP idols while prohibiting immersion in natural water bodies pending formal rules.
• The forthcoming policy must reflect expert recommendations from the Central Pollution Control Board on eco-friendly materials, designated immersion sites and cleanup protocols.
• Idol makers’ associations challenging the CPCB guidelines will await the court’s examination of the final policy on July 23.