Order of the Supreme Court of India in the matter of Lokesh Kumar Vs Mamidi Venumadhav & Others dated 16/09/2021.

The matter related to immersion of Ganesh idol for the purposes of the festival of Ganesh Chaturthi in Hussain Sagar lake, Hyderabad, Telangana.

The Solicitor General has said that immersion of POP idols would be banned from 2022 in the light of the guidelines issued by the State Pollution Control Board. However, he has asked that for 2021, the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) may be granted exemption, as there is paucity of time for preparing new plans, the arrangements for the festival having been made long back. The Solicitor General has given assurance that all steps to minimize pollution to the Hussain Sagar lake would be taken and cranes used at the immersion sites and idols after being immersed would be lifted soon after and transported to the solid waste dumping sites for recycling purposes.

The Supreme Court granted permission for immersion of idols in Hussain Sagar lake for the year 2021.