Hyderabad: Taking a serious view on usage of plastic to wrap Ganesh idols, the Telangana High Court on Friday directed the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) and Pollution Control Board (PCB) to file a report and crackdown the units which supplies plastic to idol makers, revealing its strategy to curb the use of plastic wrappings around Ganesh idols during the upcoming Ganesh festival celebrations.
Division bench of Telangana High Court orders
The directed the Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) to file cases against all the violators of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 in Hyderabad and submit a detailed action report on the issue.
The bench asked the concern authorities to take steps for disposal of the huge plastic sheets used by the artisans or idol makers to wrap the idols for the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi festivities.
The Court passed the orders while dealing with public interest litigation (PIL) plea filed by one YV Murali Krishna, resident of Srinivasa Colony of LB Nagar from the
city. A division bench, comprising the Chief Justice of the State Justice RS Chouhan and Justice A. Abhishek Reddy, later adjourned the matter till September 7, 2019.
Use of plastic in making Ganesh idols
According to the petition, the petitioner said the HC that he had noticed this year that the Ganesh idols were being sold with plastic wrapping below the permitted micron and added that it was obvious that, because of lack of regulation by the authorities, thin plastic wrapping material was cheaply and abundantly available in the market, prompting the makers of the Ganesh idols to resort to indiscriminate use of the same.
He said that as per the existing legal regime vide GO Ms No.79 of Environment, Forest, Science and Technology Department dated 30-12-2016 and Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 and Article 48-A of Constitution of India, the State Government ought to immediately take steps for regulating and prohibiting the use of plastic wrapping around Ganesh idols.
Petitioner YV Murali Krishna over plastic wrappings suppliers
Petitioner YV Murali Krishna urged the Court to issue directions to the State
government to take action against use of plastic wrapping around Ganesh idols
being sold for Ganesh festival celebrations.