Nagpur: With barely five weeks left for the 10-day Ganesh Utsav beginning on Sept 14, uncertainty continues over whether Plaster of Paris (PoP) Ganesh idols will be allowed to be sold in Nagpur this year.The BJP-ruled Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) is yet to take a decision on the issue and is awaiting directions from Maharashtra govt, even as Bombay high court continues to hear petitions concerning PoP idol immersion.The issue assumes significance as idol makers have already begun preparations for the festive season, while traders are seeking clarity before production and sales gather momentum.A senior NMC official told TOI that the civic body has already decided to continue its long-standing ban on immersion of idols in natural water bodies within the municipal limits.“Like previous years, immersion of Ganesh idols in lakes and other natural water bodies such as Ambazari, Futala, Sonegaon and Gandhisagar will not be permitted. NMC will set up artificial immersion tanks across all zones and deploy mobile immersion vehicles for household idols,” the official said.However, the official clarified that the civic body is yet to take a call on permitting the sale of PoP idols.“We are awaiting directions from the state govt on the issue of PoP idol sales. Once the govt issues directions, the matter will be placed before the standing committee, which will take the final decision. During the administrator’s rule too, NMC had continued the ban on immersion in natural water bodies while facilitating immersion through artificial tanks,” the official added.The uncertainty comes in the backdrop of Bombay high court proceedings on PoP idols. During hearings in July, Maharashtra govt defended its policy permitting immersion of PoP idols taller than six feet in natural water bodies under regulated conditions while requiring idols up to six feet to be immersed in artificial tanks. The court also sought strict monitoring of PoP idol sales through maintenance of registers by manufacturers and vendors and compliance with environmental safeguards. The matter remains pending before the high court.Irrespective of the court proceedings, Nagpur has consistently followed a stricter policy by prohibiting immersion of all idols in natural water bodies within city limits to protect lakes from pollution.With Ganesh Chaturthi fast approaching, idol makers, traders and devotees are now awaiting the state govt’s directions and the standing committee’s decision on whether PoP idols can be sold in Nagpur this year, even though immersion in the city’s lakes will continue to remain prohibited.INFOBOX: NMC’S ARTIFICIAL IDOL IMMERSION DRIVEOver the years, NMC has significantly expanded its artificial immersion infrastructure. With three permanent concrete tanks, which even accommodate bigger idols, NMC even erects 400-odd artificial tanks to facilitate immersions of idols.NMC facilitated immersion of around 1.70 lakh Ganesh idols in artificial tanks in 2016, which increased to 2.07 lakh in 2017. The civic body installed 234 artificial tanks in 2018 and 260 tanks in 2019, when 2.31 lakh idols were immersed. The network expanded to 276 tanks in 2021, handling 2.92 lakh idol immersions. During the pandemic, 184 tanks were erected in 2020. NMC installed 270 tanks in 2022, recording 1.27 lakh idol immersions, followed by 391 tanks in 2023. In 2024, the civic body set up 413 tanks, facilitating immersion of 1.48 lakh idols, while 419 artificial tanks were installed in 2025, where 1.62 lakh idols were immersed.
