India, Sept. 5 -- The Bombay High Court on Thursday rejected a plea by a Malabar Hill resident seeking permission to immerse eco-friendly Ganesh idols in the Banganga lake as per the tradition. The court held that the fundamental rights of the public to clean air and clean water must prevail over individual interests.

On August 26, the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) had issued a circular saying that all the eco-friendly idols less than 6 feet of height shall be immersed in artificial ponds. The bench of acting chief justice Shree Chandrashekhar and justice Aarti Sathe was hearing a plea by Sanjay Shirke, challenging the MPCB's circular and claiming it was unreasonable and violated their rights.

Shirke had approached the high...