The Karnataka High Court has directed against use, manufacture of Plaster of Paris idols 11 units of PoP closed following High Court orders
The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) has locked the 11 PoP idols manufacturing units as per the HC orders. Now PoP idols will not be manufactured in the state. However, to stop the use of PoP idols completely, the state government has to prevent import of idols from Pune, Kolhapur, Goa, Andhra Pradesh and other neighbouring states.
The officers of KSPCB have locked 11 units located in Begur, Hegadenagar, Kumbalagodu, and other places. They have also seized more than 45,000 idols made using PoP. The officers have warned the owners of the units against manufacturing PoP idols. They have asked the manufacturers not to use chemical colours too. However clay idols can still be manufactured and herbal colours can be used.
The court has also banned the sale of PoP idols already in market. Hence the KSPCB has decided to dispose the idols off. More than 300 labourers, who had migrated from other parts of India to these units have returned to their native states.
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However, the ban was questioned by the manufacturers in the court. But the High Court rejected the plea and directed the manufacturers not to sell the idols made of PoP.
