Eco-Friendly Festivals Urged as PoP Idol Pollution Debate Grows

Every year, many people in India celebrate festivals like Ganesh Chaturthi with big statues of gods called idols.

Many idols are made from a material called Plaster of Paris and bright paint.

When the festival is over, the statues are put into rivers and the sea.

The material and paint can make the water dirty and hurt animals living there.

The dirt can even travel to faraway places like the highest mountains and the coldest continent on Earth.

The Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, told people that they should use idols made from safe, eco-friendly materials instead.

Some states, like Karnataka, have already said no to the harmful idols.

But other states, like Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu, are still allowing them, which makes courts unhappy.

People who make the statues say they need to keep their jobs, but courts say protecting nature is more important.

If everyone chooses better materials, festivals can still be colourful but safe for the planet.