Ganesha idols made out of PoP or painted with chemical colours are banned: Mysuru district administration

Strict checks will also be conducted at border check-posts to prevent PoP idols from being supplied to the district from other States. | Photo Credit: File photo With an aim to prevent environmental pollution, the Mysuru district administration has banned Ganesha idols made out of Plaster of Paris (POP) or painted with chemical colours.Additional Commissioner of Mysuru R. Aishwarya, who chaired a meeting on Tuesday (September 1) to discuss the arrangements for the coming Gowri-Ganesha festival, said the manufacture, sale, transportation and immersion of idols made out of PoP or painted with chemical colours containing heavy metals have been completely banned.Appealing to the public against installing such idols, Ms. Aishwarya said people should instead opt for clay idols made using natural colours and cooperate with the district administration. Additional Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru R. Aishwarya (fourth from right) releasing a poster appealing to people to opt for clay idols during the coming Gowri-Ganesha festival, on Tuesday (September 1). | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Pointing out that the Mysuru district administration, along with the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) and Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), have jointly issued stringent guidelines in this regard, she said criminal cases will be registered against violators under Section 279 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.She said trade licences would not be issued to shops manufacturing or selling PoP idols. Strict checks will also be conducted at border check-posts to prevent PoP idols from being supplied to the district from other States.A committee headed by the MCC’s health officers and zonal commissioners, in coordination with the police department, should conduct raids on unauthorised manufacturing units, seize PoP idols and impose fines, she said.Also, the immersion of PoP or chemically coloured idols in natural water bodies such as rivers, lakes and wells has been prohibited.Idols worshipped at homes should be immersed at home, while public idols should be immersed only in mobile immersion tanks provided by the civic body or in designated artificial ponds, she said.Before immersing the idols, wet waste comprising flowers, fruits, banana stems and other puja materials should be separated and handed over to the waste-disposal vehicles of the local body.Committees installing Gauri-Ganesha idols in public places must obtain prior permission from the local bodies concerned — the municipal corporation, city municipal council or gram panchayat — as well as the police department, she said.The use of single-use plastic, flex banners and decorative festoons at pandals has also been prohibited. LoudspeakersTo maintain public order, the use of loudspeakers and microphones has been completely banned between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., she said.Additional Superintendent of Police C. Mallik, officials of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, district and taluk panchayat officials and others were present at the meeting. Published - September 01, 2026 07:44 pm IST