Idol immersion not allowed in public, including in Yamuna: Delhi pollution body

The order also specified that idol immersion can take place in people’s houses or community centres where there are arrangements for immersion in buckets or other containers

Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) on Wednesday issued a detailed set of guidelines for idol immersion, including a ban on immersions in public places such as water bodies, ponds, ghats or Yamuna river.

Devotees immerse an idol of goddess Durga into an artificial pond at CR Park, in New Delhi. (Representational image/HT Archive)

The order also specified that idol immersion can take place in people’s houses or community centres where there are arrangements for immersion in buckets or other containers.

“Worship material like flowers, decorating material (made of paper) etc, be removed before immersion of idols and may be collected separately for disposal manner and in an environmentally safe manner and be handed over to the door-to-door waste collection vehicles,” the order said.

The order added, “No idol immersion shall be allowed in River Yamuna. Violators shall be liable to pay ₹50,000 per default, to be deposited with DPCC.”

The DPCC also directed municipal agencies and the Delhi Police to ensure strict checks around all important immersion points in the city to ensure that vehicles carrying idols are stopped. Vehicles coming from neighbouring states also need to be checked for idols, the state pollution control authority said on Wednesday.