Hyderabad's Ganesh Immersion: No PoP Idols in Hussain Sagar

Devotees of Lord Ganesha in Hyderabad should be aware that idols made from plaster of Paris (PoP) are prohibited from being immersed in Hussain Sagar Lake.

With this decision, people must look for artificial ponds which would be set up by municipal authorities to complete the immersion rituals.

Following a petition, accusing the government of breaching orders, the Telangana High Court has decided that only clay and eco-friendly materials be immersed in Hussian Sagar.

The petitioner, Venu Madhav, believes that the usage of heavy cranes for the immersion of idols could potentially harm Tank Bund.

Chief Justice Alok Aradhe said that the 2021 guidelines must be adhered to. The 2021 guidelines say to ban the immersion of PoP idols in natural water bodies.

Following the High Court’s ruling, the Hyderabad Police and the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation erected banners and barricades at Tank Bund.

The Ganesh immersion procession is scheduled for September 17, 2024.

Goshamahal BJP MLA is against erecting banners as he believes that it is creating confusion among devotees. He also sought clarification from the Telangana CM and GHMC Commissioner requesting them to clarify on alternative sites.

Singh argues that the claim that idol immersion further pollutes Hussain Sagar Lake is unfounded, given the lake's existing contamination with sewage and chemicals. He also suggested that the government and GHMC benefit financially from retrieving idol materials from the lake after immersion.

Hyderabad devotees must now immerse plaster of Paris (PoP) idols in artificial ponds, following a recent Telangana High Court ruling. The court ordered that only clay and eco-friendly materials be immersed in Hussain Sagar, addressing a petition that alleged the state government had violated previous orders. Chief Justice Alok Aradhe criticized the petitioner, Venu Madhav, for raising the issue late.

In response, Hyderabad Police and GHMC have set up banners and barricades at Tank Bund. BJP MLA Raja Singh has criticized these measures, arguing they may confuse devotees and has called for clarification on alternative immersion sites.