Prime Minister Narendra Modi advocated a shift to eco-friendly Ganesh idols for festive celebrations in his Mann Ki Baat address recently, amidst a raft of court cases calling for a ban on idols made of artificial materials. But state governments appear to be in no hurry to make festivals truly green. The use of Plaster of Paris (PoP) to make idols in Maharashtra has been agitated in the courts through public interest litigation since 2024. Yet, the state administration has adopted the disappointing position that no ban on PoP is possible this year. Moreover, idols larger than six feet are allowed to be immersed in natural water bodies, while artificial ponds have been created to immerse smaller ones. Pollution caused by idols made of........

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