Maharashtra Govt To Hold Stakeholder Meet On PM Modi's Appeal For Eco-Friendly Clay Ganesh Idols

Mumbai, July 29, 2026: The Maharashtra government on Wednesday told the Bombay High Court that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will hold a meeting of all stakeholders on July 31 to consider Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal urging citizens to install eco-friendly clay idols during the Ganesh festival.

State To Hold Stakeholders' Meeting

A bench of Justices Ajey Gadkari and Kamal Khata was informed by Advocate General Milind Sathe that the meeting had been convened in light of the Prime Minister's recent appeal made during his Mann Ki Baat address.

"A meeting has been called by the Chief Minister with all stakeholders on July 31 regarding the Prime Minister's suggestion," Sathe told the court.

The bench said it wanted a "comprehensive compilation" on the issue before taking a final view and observed that the State's decision after the meeting would be important.

PoP Manufacturers Challenge Guidelines

During the hearing, Advocate Uday Warunjikar, appearing for PoP idol manufacturers, argued that the Central Pollution Control Board's (CPCB) 2020 revised guidelines lacked statutory backing and therefore could not be enforced. He contended that the real issue was identifying the actual source of pollution.

"The question is what is causing the pollution," Warunjikar submitted, adding that clay, sadu clay and PoP idols all had environmental impacts. He claimed that sadu clay settled at the bottom of water bodies and could also contribute to pollution, while artificial colours used on idols were more harmful than PoP itself.

The bench, however, repeatedly stressed that the case was confined to pollution caused by PoP idols and not the celebration of the Ganesh festival. "Celebration is not the issue. Procession is not the issue. The only issue is whether PoP idols are creating pollution," the court said.

Court Seeks Scientific Evidence

When Warunjikar argued that sadu clay also caused pollution, Justice Gadkari asked, "Which expert says PoP causes less pollution?" The bench further remarked, "Get us an expert report stating that this will also pollute."

Justice Khata suggested that large decorative idols could be retained for recycling while a smaller clay idol could be immersed. "We are saying you please do everything. Do your puja… We are not hurting anybody's religious sentiments. We are concerned with pollution in our natural water bodies and for our future generations," he observed.

Also Watch:

The court also questioned why every suggestion was being opposed. "Give solutions," it told the PoP manufacturers after they suggested that only natural, non-toxic colours should be used instead of artificial paints.

The matter will continue on Thursday.

To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/