MUMBAI, July 1 -- With Ganeshotsav set to begin on August 27, the Maharashtra government on Monday informed the Bombay High Court that it is yet to arrive at a final decision regarding the immersion of Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols, and sought three weeks' time to frame a formal policy. The state's advocate general, Dr Birendra Saraf, told a division bench of chief justice Alok Aradhe and justice Sandeep Marne that a series of meetings have been held-chaired by the chief minister himself-since June 9, and the policy will be placed before the court on or before July 23. The development comes amid a batch of petitions raising concerns around the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) revised guidelines, which prohibit the manufacture and immersion of PoP idols in natural water bodies. Idol manufacturers and artisan groups have challenged these guidelines, calling them a violation of their fundamental right to livelihood and their freedom to practise traditional crafts. They have argued that thousands of livelihoods depend on PoP idol making, especially in the run-up to Ganeshotsav. On the other hand, environmental groups and petitioners have urged strict enforcement of the CPCB's ban, pointing out that PoP idols continue to be manufactured in violation of the guidelines. They warned that the delay in policy clarity, with barely weeks to go before the festival season begins in August, would create confusion among idol makers and local authorities alike. In an earlier hearing on June 9, the High Court had clarified that while the manufacture and sale of PoP idols may continue, immersion in natural water bodies is prohibited without the court's explicit permission. "It will be open to the petitioners and artisans to make PoP idols. However, the same shall not be immersed in natural water bodies without the leave of the court," the bench had stated. The issue of PoP idol immersion has been under judicial scrutiny since 2003, when the NGO Janhit Manch filed a public interest litigation seeking a complete ban on immersions in natural water sources due to environmental concerns. In 2009, the CPCB set up a committee to frame guidelines aimed at reducing pollution during religious festivals. These were revised in 2020 to prohibit immersion of PoP idols, though they did not impose a ban on their manufacture. Adding a fresh layer to the debate, a report by the Rajiv Gandhi Science and Technology Commission (RGSTC)-a statutory body under the Maharashtra government-was submitted in court in April this year. Commissioned by Cultural Affairs Minister Ashish Shelar, the report recommended conditional permission for the use of PoP idols, provided they are painted with eco-friendly paints and immersed in large water bodies like the sea or major rivers, away from drinking water sources and animal habitats. It also suggested the adoption of "retrievable immersion" methods that would allow the reuse of idols. While the court said it was willing to allow time for the state to finalise its policy, it stressed the need for urgency. "Festivals are coming up from August. We also need time to look into the policy. Hence, let the policy decision be placed before the court on or before July 23," the bench told the government. The next hearing in the matter has been scheduled for July 24....