Maharashtra Govt Issues Guidelines For Plaster Of Paris Idol Immersion, Caps Height At 6 Feet

Mumbai: The state government issued the guidelines for the immersion of Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols on Friday, emphasising that local and should encourage Ganpati mandals for idols not taller than 6ft. The state government has mandated immersion of under-6 ft idols in artificial ponds.

The state environment department has ordered the appointment of an eightmember empowered expert scientific committee to suggest how to reuse, recycle PoP material and its faster dissolution in an eco-friendly manner. The panel will be headed by the member secretary of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB). It will have members from the Institute of Chemical Technology and IIT (Mumbai), National Chemical Laboratory (Pune), Rajiv Gandhi Science and Technology Mission, CSIR NEERI, Regional Officer of Central Pollution Control Board (Pune) and the joint director (water) of MPCB.

As per the guidelines, the local bodies will maintain the details of the exact number of PoP idols made and sold by the artisans. Each idol will have a special ‘red dot’ to establish that it is made out of PoP and the identity of the buyer. The sellers will also need to provide a pamphlet (provided by the local body) with details of how to immerse these idols.

For smaller idols, the local bodies will develop facilities for artificial ponds and inform the public accordingly. For idols taller than 6ft, if no facility for artificial immersion is available, natural water bodies will be designated. Since such idols do not dissolve immediately, the local bodies will ensure the collection of such idols the very next day of the immersion.

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The water in artificial ponds will be treated scientifically after 7 days of immersion, and it will be sent to the nearby treatment facility. NGOs will be encouraged to collect, reuse and scientifically recycle PoP idols, say the guidelines.