HYDERABAD: A division bench of the Hyderabad High Court on Thursday directed the Telangana government and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation to ensure that only natural colours are used to paint Lord Ganesh idols. Necessary steps should be taken before the commencement of the next Ganesh festival, the bench noted.
The bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Dilip B Bhosale and Justice P Naveen Rao was dealing with a plea seeking to protect the Hussainsagar lake from pollution and also to deny permission for immersion of Ganesh idols in the lake during the Ganesh festival.
The bench asked the GHMC authorities to visit the idol makers and explain them the hazardous effects of artificial colours and Plaster of Paris on environment.
Further, the bench told the GHMC to ensure that clay material is used to make the idols instead of plaster of paris.
The bench also suggested to have wide publicity against use of artificial colours and Plaster of Paris in making the idols.
GHMC counsel P Kesava Rao submitted that the civic body is taking steps to construct separate enclosures for immersion of idols in the lakes on the lines of Bengaluru city.
Besides, steps were also taken to make it mandatory that permission has to be taken from the authorities concerned to install idols which are more than 15-foot height.
Responding to the submission, the bench said that the competition in installation of idols cannot be allowed.