The Supreme Court agreed to hear on Monday a plea challenging a Madras High Court order staying the sale and manufacture of Ganesha idols made of plaster of Paris. A bench of Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, Justice JB Pardiwala, and Justice Manoj Misra agreed to hear the matter at the end of the board of listed cases.

“This is a matter which requires urgent hearing. The division bench of the High Court has passed the order on Sunday evening by which it had stayed the single judge’s order permitting the sale of Ganesha idols made of plaster of Paris,” senior advocate Shyam Divan said.

Divan said that the effect of the order issued during a special sitting on Sunday by the High Court is that idols made of plaster of Paris cannot be manufactured or sold, nor can they be immersed.

“What will people do with the idols if they cannot immerse it? Has the single judge considered the aspect of immersion?” CJI Chandrachud asked. Divan said the single judge considered all the aspects and asked the district administration to make arrangements for makeshift tanks for the immersion of the idols.

The division bench of the High Court said that several orders have been passed by the court over the years on the use of idols made of plaster of Paris. It said now that the state Pollution Control Board has formulated guidelines, idols made of plaster of Paris cannot be used.

Ganesh Chaturthi is on Tuesday.