High Court permits immersion of only eco-friendly Ganesh idols in Hussain Sagar

HYDERABAD: The Telangana High Court on Tuesday reiterated that only eco-friendly clay Ganesh idols could be immersed in Hussain Sagar, in line with the 2021 guidelines.

The court ordered that idols made of plaster of Paris (POP) must be immersed in artificial ponds created by the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC).

Petitioner Venu Madhav informed the court that these guidelines had been ignored for the past two years. He also raised concerns over the use of heavy cranes on Tank Bund for the immersion process, claiming it posed a risk to the structure. The court, while expressing displeasure over the delay in filing the contempt petition, instructed that the 2021 guidelines be strictly enforced.

It further directed that no POP idols should be immersed in natural water bodies.