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Bhopal: Celebration sites turn garbage dumps post immersion
In contrast to high-decibel rhetoric on eco-friendly idol immersion for the last few weeks, most of the guidelines issued by the central pollution control board for idol immersion were not followed in Bhopal.
In contrast to high-decibel rhetoric on eco-friendly idol immersion for the last few weeks, most of the guidelines issued by the central pollution control board for idol immersion were not followed in Bhopal.
The Ganesha idols were immersed on Thursday and Friday during Ganesha Visarjan.
HT found that the condition of immersion sites at Lower lake, Upper lake and Shahpura lake was deplorable after the immersion process with floral offerings and other religious stuff floating on the water surface and littering the banks.
The situation was worse at Shahpura Lake where puja paraphernalia and remnants of idols and other supporting materials were littered on the banks and found floating on the lake fringe.
At the Upper Lake’s Prempura Ghat, the remnants of big idols - grass meshes- were seen strewn on the banks while the water had turned murky due to the floating debris of rotten flowers and polythene bags.
The National Green Tribunal’s (NGT) had directed the state government last year to take measures to save water bodies from the effects of immersion of idols. In response to guidelines issued by the Bombay high court for idol immersion, the CPCB framed national guidelines for immersion of idols in 2010.
According to the guidelines, in case of immersion of idols in lakes or ponds, all the flowers, leaves and artificial ornaments of idols should be removed and idols should be immersed into a corner using removable synthetic liners in the bottom.
The guidelines emphasise that the extra materials should be disposed of separately. The guidelines also state that biodegradable materials should be collected for recycling or composting and non-biodegradable materials should be collected for disposal in sanitary landfills.
However, both biodegradable and non-biodegradable materials made their way into the water bodies in Bhopal.
MP State Pollution Control Board (MPSPCB) regional officer, Bhopal, PS Bundela said they had taken the water samples from the water bodies before and during the immersion. “Samples would again be taken after seven days of immersion, following which it will become clear how much the water quality has been affected due to these immersions.”
Bundela said people should also realise how big idols create more problems for water bodies.
