India, Jan. 31 -- Ahead of the Maghi Ganesh Jayanti, set to be celebrated on February 1, the Bombay high court on Thursday ordered civic bodies to strictly enforce the ban on sale, manufacturing, and immersion of idols made of Plaster of Paris (PoP) during the festival. The court directed the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and other corporations to ensure strict adherence to the guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board on May 12, 2020, which banned the use of PoP idols.

Concerned about the extreme and irreparable water pollution caused by the immersion of the idols made of PoP, a group of 12 people, comprising an advocate, a founder of a non-profit organisation, and a few activists and artisans, had filed a peti...