Mumbai, July 23 -- The Maharashtra government has given an affidavit in Bombay High Court that it will felicitate all the household Ganpati idols' immersion in artificial ponds only, according to an official statement from the Maharashtra Culture Ministry.

According to the statement, the larger idols of Ganeshotsav Mandals will be immersed in the sea as per their tradition of over 100 years.

According to the affidavit, the state government had also proposed to take several remedial measures to reduce pollution caused by the immersion of Plaster of Paris (POP) idols in the sea.

The affidavit in the High Court also states that this decision was made after the recommendation of a committee headed by senior scientist Anil Kakodkar.

As per...