On July 20, 2016 the KSPCB, announced the ban on both sale and manufacture of the Ganesha idols made of PoP and painted with harmful chemicals. Madhyavarthi Shree Ganesh Mahamandal under which almost 200 Ganesh Mandals are members strongly opposed this notification as untimely.
A notification was issued in this regard on July 20 under Section 33(A) of the Water Pollution Prevention and Control Act of 1974. Violation would attract a penalty of Rs.10,000 and imprisonment under section 45A of the Act.
nAccording to the Mahamandal most of the idol’s are ready and in its final stages and now with this notification it will be a loss to the artists and also the Ganesh mandals. They in a memorandum given mentioned that work on the Ganesh Idols begins 9-10 months in advance and at such short notice the ban on PoP idols is not justified.
With hardly a month left for the festival it is not possible for the artists to make new idols and this will put the idol manufactures at a great loss.