Telangana High Court on Monday turned down the plea of the State government to permit immersion of Ganesh idols made of Plaster of Paris (PoP) in Hussain Sagar and other lakes for this year.
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Observing that “HC cannot permit pollution of water by allowing immersion of PoP idols”, a bench of Acting Chief Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao and Justice T. Vinod Kumar rejected an interlocutory application filed by GHMC Commissioner seeking modification of the bench’s order issued on the matter four days ago. Despite repeated requests from Special Government Pleader (SGP) Harender Prashad to permit PoP Ganesh idol immersion in Hussain Sagar “for this year”, the bench made it clear that it was “not inclined to modify the order”.
When the SGP said there were difficulties in complying with the bench’s order in toto, the Acting Chief Justice said the government had time since last year July to this year July to create infrastructure for immersion of Ganesh idols without polluting the environment. Referring to three counter-affidavits filed by GHMC earlier on the matter, the bench said the authorities explained the construction of baby ponds at different places for immersion of idols.
“Now you had come to the court stating these baby ponds are not useful for immersion of big idols. In those affidavits you did not describe idols of what height could be immersed in such ponds,” the Acting CJ remarked. Noting that GHMC’s earlier affidavits gave the HC an impression that idols can be immersed in such baby ponds, the bench said it appeared as if the government misled it with the fresh plea in which it was said that there were problems in using baby ponds.
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