Nagpur, Trends: Even though there is a strict ban on making, selling, and using Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols in Maharashtra, these idols are still being sold in Nagpur markets. The Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court had ordered a complete ban on PoP idols and told authorities to make sure the ban is enforced across the state. However, many sellers, manufacturers, and unaware citizens are not following the rules, and PoP idols are still being sold.

The Nuisance Detection Squad (NDS) of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) has been trying to stop this by seizing PoP idols and fining shop owners. In the past 11 days, the NDS has taken away 798 PoP idols from 91 shops in the city and collected fines totaling ₹9,10,000 from these shops.

Municipal Commissioner Dr. Abhijit Chaudhari recently warned artisans and Ganesh Mandals against selling or using PoP idols in Nagpur. But despite this warning, PoP idols are still found in markets, showing that manufacturers and sellers are ignoring the rules. Many citizens are also unaware of the ban.

Manoj Bind, an artisan from Chitar Oli, shared his worries about the situation. He said that PoP idols are still available, and many people can't tell the difference between PoP and clay idols. This affects the sale of clay idols, which are eco-friendly. "People are still buying banned idols because they are easy to find in shops. This is hurting our business," Bind said.

The NMC started a drive against PoP idols on August 27. By September 7, the NDS had checked 830 shops and found PoP idols in 91 of them. Each shop was fined ₹10,000, but this has not been enough to stop the sale of these idols during the festival season.

To fully stop the sale of PoP idols, many believe there needs to be stricter enforcement, including a complete ban on making and transporting these idols into the city, as they are still being supplied without proper checks.