Archive · 12 Aug 2026
Jhabua POP Idol Production Raises Pollution Concerns Ahead of Ganeshotsav
People in a district called Jhabua are making statues of gods for festivals like Ganeshotsav and Navratri.
Some of these statues are made from a material called plaster of Paris, or POP.
After the festivals, the statues are traditionally lowered into rivers and ponds.
POP does not break down easily in water.
The plaster and the bright paints on the statues can make the water dirty.
Dirty water is bad for fish, plants, and people who use it.
A special court called the National Green Tribunal has said making POP statues is not allowed.
Even so, many are being made in places like Meghnagar, Jhabua, Thandla and Petlawad.
People are worried and asking why officials are letting this happen.
Officials say local officers have the power to take action.
Large-scale production of plaster of Paris (POP) idols has been reported in Jhabua district ahead of Ganeshotsav, Navratri and other religious celebrations.
Idols are reportedly being manufactured at Bafna Compound on Jhabua Road in Meghnagar, with similar activity in Jhabua, Thandla and Petlawad.
POP is being transported to these locations in trucks and trailers, while finished idols are supplied to towns and villages across the district.
POP does not easily biodegrade, and paints and decorative materials can contribute to water pollution in rivers, ponds and other water sources when idols are immersed.
Pollution Control Board Regional Officer Ashok Ramawat said the National Green Tribunal has prohibited POP idol manufacture, and residents have questioned why production continues openly.
- Who
- Idol manufacturers in Jhabua district, local residents, and Pollution Control Board Regional Officer Ashok Ramawat.
- What
- Large-scale production of plaster of Paris (POP) idols for religious festivals is raising environmental and water pollution concerns.
- When
- Ahead of Ganeshotsav, the upcoming Navratri festival and other religious celebrations.
- Where
- Meghnagar (including Bafna Compound on Jhabua Road), Jhabua, Thandla and Petlawad in Jhabua district, Madhya Pradesh.
- Why
- POP does not biodegrade easily and, along with paints and decorative materials, can pollute water bodies when idols are immersed after festivals.
- Location
- Jhabua district, Madhya Pradesh, India
- Manufacturing sites
- Bafna Compound on Jhabua Road in Meghnagar; also Jhabua, Thandla and Petlawad
- Festivals
- Ganeshotsav, Navratri and other religious celebrations
- Environmental concern
- POP does not biodegrade; paints and decorations can cause water pollution and solid residues
- Regulatory status
- National Green Tribunal (NGT) has prohibited the manufacture of POP idols
- Guidelines
- Central Pollution Control Board guidelines favour natural, biodegradable materials
- Official quoted
- Ashok Ramawat, Regional Officer of the Pollution Control Board
- Enforcement authority
- SDM or Chief Municipal Officer within municipal areas