A Ganesh Chaturthi without PoP pollution

With Ganesh Chaturthi around the corner, the emphasis on ecofriendly celebrations is timely. The Karnataka government's push against Plaster of Paris (PoP) and chemically coloured idols deserves public support, not merely as a regulatory requirement but as an environmental responsibility. The high court has directed the state government and local authorities to strictly enforce the existing ban on the manufacture, sale, and immersion of PoP idols. PoP does not dissolve easily in water and contributes to siltation and oxygen depletion, while chemical paints may contain toxic heavy metals that contaminate water bodies and harm aquatic life. Enforcement must be combined with awareness and proactive facilitation to ensure that religious sentiment does not conflict with environmental protection. A festival associated with Ganesha, traditionally believed to have originated from clay, offers a fitting occasion to demonstrate that faith and ecological responsibility can coexist..Ganesh Chaturthi also occupies a deeper place in India's history. In 1893, Bal Gangadhar Tilak transformed what had largely been a private household observance into a public festival, using it to bring people together at a time when the British restricted political assembly. It became a symbol of solidarity across caste and community. Unfortunately, the character of the festival has since changed. The traditional instruments and folk performances that once accompanied immersion processions are increasingly giving way to towering speakers, DJ systems, and remixed music, as local committees compete over sound and spectacle. Such systems, producing 100-120 decibels, can cause hearing damage and distress to vulnerable residents. The Supreme Court has ruled that loudspeakers are not an integral part of any religious practice, and has laid down strict guidelines for their use..Special teams begin checks, seize PoP idols across Karnataka.Of greater concern is the disorder that sometimes accompanies these processions. Route disputes, provocative music and slogans, local rivalries and rumours amplified on social media can turn celebration into confrontation. The violence in Nagamangala in September 2024 and the stone-pelting during an immersion procession in Maddur in 2025 are reminders that festivity can quickly curdle into a law-and-order crisis. The festival should unite, not divide. To that end, the organisers must firmly adhere to the routes, sound limits and timings set by the police, rather than treat every restriction as an infringement of religious freedom. There is nothing devotional about music that disturbs entire neighbourhoods or conduct that provokes another community. Ganesha is revered as Vighna Vinashaka, the remover of obstacles. The truest tribute to him would be to ensure that the festival does not itself become an obstacle to peace, public order, environmental health, and the everyday lives of others.