Nagpur: Not a single red-marked Plaster of Paris (PoP) Ganesh idol was found among the 944 PoP idols identified during immersion in Nagpur Municipal Corporation’s (NMC) artificial tanks, with the latest data adding 340 PoP idols on the 10th day of Ganeshotsav.The state govt had directed idol makers and sellers to put a clearly visible red mark on PoP idols to distinguish them from clay idols. The measure was intended to help buyers and civic authorities identify PoP idols and ensure compliance with immersion norms. However, TOI’s analysis of NMC immersion data found no PoP idol bearing the prescribed red marking among those identified in the artificial tanks.On Sept 14 and 15, a total of 2,079 idols were immersed in artificial tanks, including 69 PoP idols. On Sept 16, another 707 idols were immersed, of which 33 were PoP. On Sept 18, 1,417 idols were immersed, including 93 PoP idols.The highest number of immersions recorded in the initial data was on Sept 20, when 4,550 idols were immersed. Of these, 4,303 were clay and 247 were PoP. On Sept 22, another 2,286 idols were immersed, including 162 PoP idols.The latest data for the 10th day of Ganeshotsav shows 7,023 idols were immersed, of which 6,683 were clay and 340 were PoP.Together, the data now covers 18,062 idols immersed in artificial tanks, including 17,118 clay idols and 944 PoP idols. PoP idols accounted for around 5.2% of the total.Volunteers involved in facilitating immersions also reported a similar enforcement gap. Green Vigil Foundation team led by Surbhi Jaiswal said the organisation had been present at Futala Lake every day since Sept 15, facilitating Ganpati visarjan in artificial tanks and collecting nirmalya.“During this period, we observed that nearly 10% of the idols appeared to be PoP. As per the prescribed guidelines, PoP idols were supposed to carry a red mark on the back, but such markings were rarely found,” Jaiswal said.She said several devotees told volunteers that vendors had sold them PoP idols as clay idols, assuring them that they would dissolve easily. “Many devotees were disappointed after learning otherwise, especially after paying a higher price for what they believed were clay idols,” she said.Jaiswal said the red-marking system should be implemented strictly and consistently so devotees could identify the material of an idol before purchasing it and avoid being misled.Though the proportion of PoP idols in the NMC data remains relatively small, the absence of the prescribed marking among the identified PoP idols points to a gap between the govt directive and its implementation on the ground. Strict enforcement at the manufacturing and sale stages could make identification easier for buyers and civic officials and help curb the sale of PoP idols.