Cops will be deployed at Ghaggar river to check dumping of waste, Panchkula DC informs NGT

A resident had moved the NGT, saying that the bridge on Ghaggar river between Sectors 21 and 23, Panchkula, was being used more for immersion of religious offering/garbage than for transportation

To check immersion of religious offerings in Ghaggar, a police team will be deployed to penalise people who stop vehicles on the river’s bridge for throwing waste in it.

While disposing of the application, the principal bench of NGT ruled, “We direct the state authorities and the collector concerned to ensure compliance of the guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) with regard to emersion of idols.” (Sant Arora/HT)

This was stated by the Panchkula deputy commissioner before the principal bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT).

The submission came in response to a petition by one Meenu Devi on July 25.

Devi had moved the tribunal, saying that the bridge on Ghaggar river between Sectors 21 and 23, Panchkula, was being used more for immersion of religious offering/garbage than for transportation. This is polluting the river and damaging the environment.

While disposing of the application, the principal bench of NGT ruled, “We direct the state authorities and the collector concerned to ensure compliance of the guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) with regard to emersion of idols. Proper mechanism and arrangement should be made for idol immersions in accordance with the directions issued by the CPCB and to ensure the compliance.”

The NGT order said, “There can be no doubt that for protection of environment, statutory authorities have to take appropriate steps and non-ecofriendly idols should not be immersed in the water bodies.”

“The CPCB guidelines contain that idols should be made from natural materials, painting of the idols should be discouraged, worship material should be removed before immersion. Non-biodegradable material should be separately collected and disposed, public should be educated on ill effects of idol immersion in water bodies,” read the order.

Steps listed to check throwing of waste

In a joint reply, the Haryana Shehari Vikas Pradhikaran (HSVP) submitted that an estimate for fixing steel railing with hard drawn steel wire fabric mesh on a bridge between Sectors 3 and 21 near Chhat puja ghat was approved on April 13. The work is expected to be allotted by August 1 and should be completed by October 31.

Apart from this, HSVP is constructing a bridge connecting Sectors 24/26 to Sectors 20/21. The project is likely to be completed by December 31. The authority has also approved an estimate for installing steel railing with hard drawn steel wire fabric mesh for the bridge.

Also, boards declaring the ban on throwing of offerings in the river have been installed at various places on the existing Sector 21/23 Ghaggar bridge.

The Panchkula irrigation department has launched a one-time cleaning campaign in June 2023 for removal of waste already thrown in the river. Panchkula MC submitted that in June, waste was lifted from the collection point near Ghaggar and transported for disposal to Patvi, Ambala.