Bengaluru: With Ganesh Chaturthi just days away, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) has issued strict guidelines to ensure eco-friendly celebrations across the city.

The civic body has clearly stated that manufacturing or selling idols made of Plaster of Paris (PoP) and other banned materials will attract criminal cases against violators.

Officials from BBMP sub-divisions, along with the police, fire department, and BESCOM, have been instructed to keep a close watch on idol preparation and sales.

In a meeting chaired by BBMP Chief Commissioner M Maheshwar Rao, it was decided to completely prohibit the use of PoP, thermocol, and chemical paints in idol-making. Any idols found in violation will be seized and disposed of as per rules. Only natural clay (jeda mannu) idols will be permitted.

To streamline the permission process for installing public idols, Assistant Executive Engineers have been designated as nodal officers at the sub-divisional level.

Citizens must submit applications at these offices, where approvals will be issued through a single-window system. BBMP announced that 75 single-window centers will be set up across the city, with officials from BBMP, police, BESCOM, and fire services present to grant quick clearances.

For households, BBMP has advised citizens to immerse small clay idols in buckets at home and reuse the dissolved clay for gardening.

For community idol immersions, designated spots will be identified in each ward, and mobile immersion tanks will also be deployed. Details of these arrangements will be shared with the public soon.

BBMP further added that all wet waste generated during the festival will be processed at its waste management units to minimize environmental impact.