India, Aug. 1 -- Aiming to strike a balance between Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for an eco-friendly Ganeshotsav and the interests of local artisans, the Maharashtra government is expected to tell the Bombay High Court that it will promote clay idols, while also urging it not to prohibit Plaster of Paris (PoP) idols for this year's festival, according to officials familiar with the matter.

The state government is also expected to apprise the court of the progress it has made in promoting eco-friendly Ganesh festivals over the past four years and the measures it has taken to protect the environment, officials said

The stand was finalised at a meeting chaired by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday ahead of the hearing in a...