Telangana High Court: In a case wherein an association of Idol makers challenged the revised guidelines banning idol immersion in the city of Hyderabad issued by the Central Pollution Control Board, the Division Bench of Alok Aradhe, C.J., and N.V. Shravan Kumar, J., directed the State Government to ensure that no idols made by Plaster of Paris (‘PoP’) would be allowed to immersed in any of the water bodies in Hyderabad.The petitioner was an association of idol makers in the State of Telangana and had assailed the validity of lause 2.0 of the Revised Guidelines for Idol Immersion issued by Central Pollution Control Board which banned the making of PoP idols as well as its immersion completely. The petitioner challenged the guidelines on the ground that it violated the fundamental rights of the members of the association guaranteed under Articles 14, 19, 21, 25 and 300-A of the Constitution. The Court noted that the immersion of Ganesh Idols was scheduled to take place on 28-09-2023 and thus, directed the State Government to ensure that no Idols made by PoP were immersed in either Hussain Sagar lake or any of the water bodies in the city of Hyderabad. The Court further directed the Commissioner of Police to ensure that the immersion of the Idols made of PoP only took place in baby ponds created by Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation.
The Special Government Pleader on behalf of the respondent assured this Court that the direction issued by this Court shall be communicated to the authorities and simultaneously emphasize on the authorities the need to follow the directions contained in the present order.
[Telangana Ganesh Murti Kalakaar Welfare Association v. Union of India, 2023 SCC OnLine TS 3280, Order dated 25-09-2023]
Advocates who appeared in this case :
For the Petitioner: Mr. B. Venkateswar Rao, representing Mr. M.V. Durga Prasad, Counsels
For the Respondent: Mr. Harender Pershad, Special Government Pleader; Mr. V. Narasimha Goud, Mr. K. Ravinder Reddy, Standing Counsels
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