KSPCB officials seized more than 50 Plaster of Paris (PoP) Ganesha idols being transported towards Bengaluru on Thursday morning, as Karnataka authorities intensified enforcement against the manufacture and sale of the idols ahead of the Ganesha festival.
The lorry was intercepted on NICE Road near the Attibele Toll while entering the city from Hosur. According to the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, the vehicle was reportedly headed towards Hassan and was carrying more than 50 idols, including one described as a towering idol.
The action followed information received by KSPCB about more than 25 lorries carrying Ganesha idols that had entered the city through NICE Road, or National Highway 48, near Electronics City between 11 pm and 1 am on Wednesday. A complaint was also placed with the police helpline 112, after which police personnel arrived at the location.
The operation marks a shift in the pollution control board’s enforcement focus from retail outlets to the movement of PoP idols into Bengaluru. “Till date, we were concentrating on retail shops selling PoP idols across the city. However, this incident has forced us to rethink our strategy. We will now also keep a close eye on check posts and toll gates to ensure these idols do not enter Bengaluru from neighbouring states,” R Gokul, Member Secretary of the KSPCB, was quoted as saying.
In a separate inspection, KSPCB officials accompanied by an Assistant Engineer, an Assistant Executive Engineer and a KSPCB marshal inspected a shop selling Ganesha idols. The inspection found both clay and PoP idols of Gowri and Ganesha. Around 56 PoP idols were found at the shop, all of which were seized and handed over to the Greater Bengaluru Authority for further action. The GBA also imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the shop.
The seizures are part of a wider enforcement drive being conducted by special operations teams constituted by the Karnataka government. The teams were formed by Forest, Ecology and Environment Minister Ramalinga Reddy, with four to five teams established in each district, according to the report.
Between August 18 and September 9, the teams inspected 357 shops and godowns across Karnataka and seized 2,564 PoP idols. The inspections are intended to prevent the manufacture and sale of PoP idols before and during the Ganesha festival. KSPCB officials said the board will now extend its monitoring to check posts and toll gates in addition to retail shops and storage locations.
