MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Wednesday sought response from Collector MS Sangeetha on a public interest litigation filed requesting the district administration not to permit processions carrying Lord Vinayagar idols, made of plaster of paris and other chemicals, or their immersion in water bodies during Vinayagar Chathurthi celebrations.
M Arasupandi of Vandiyur, in his petition, said the immersion of such idols would cause water pollution.
“The Central Pollution Board has banned usage of plaster of paris in making idols for all festivals in the state of Maharashtra on May 13, 2020, and recently the National Green Tribunal Principal Bench gave an instruction to the pollution control board in an order passed in a 2022 case,” he added.
Though he gave a representation to the authorities last month to issue licenses only to eco-friendly idol makers, he didn’t get any response. A Bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Vijaykumar Gangapurwala and Justice C Kumarappan directed the government counsel to get response from the concerned authorities.