To move towards eco-friendly celebrations of Ganesh and Navratri festivals, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is selecting manufacturers of water-based bio-degradable and natural dyes for such idols. Every year, about three lakh households across Mumbai celebrate the Ganesh festival, and there are about 10,000 ‘sarvajanik Ganesh mandals’ in the city.

The civic body has cited that the dyes used to colour these idols may contain harmful metals, which are toxic and may harm water bodies.

To comply with a 2024 Public Interest Litigation (PIL) ruling by the Bombay High Court, which directed municipal corporations to adhere to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) guidelines for idol immersion including the use of eco-friendly dyes, the BMC’s Environment Department will provide idol makers across the city with a complete list of approved manufacturers. Earlier in June, the high court lifted its January ban on the manufacture of plaster of Paris (PoP) idols. However, these idols are still prohibited from being immersed in natural water bodies.