Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) Solid Waste Management Department has made registration of artisans mandatory this year to avoid use of PoP idols during the upcoming festival season.
Dr Gajendra Mahalle, Deputy Commissioner, Solid Waste Management Department chaired a meeting in which he announced this development. Quoting the order of Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court, Dr Mahalle said, “The civic body is going to strictly follow the order in which the Court instructed to restrict manufacturing and sale of PoP idols in city limits . For this, registration of artisans is required and NMC has made it compulsory to curb the PoP menace.”
To restrict the harm to water bodies in the city, the civic body appealed to citizens to avoid use of PoP idols and use clay-made idols. It also instructed idol-makers not to use PoP for making of Ganesh idols and also asked to use eco-friendly colours.
This year, there is no restriction on height of idols but the civic body will allow immersion of only 4 feet high idols in artificial tanks in city lim- its. Whereas the big idols
will be immersed outside the city and NMC will do proper arrangements like every year. NMC also restricted the use of plastic and thermocol for decoration of idols.
NMC has started the registra- tion process of artisans in all zone offices. Making of idols without registration and its storing is ille- gal and NMC will impose a fine of Rs 10,000 on such artisans.