Idol immersion: Capital moves to tackle pollution
6 Oct 2014 4:20 AM IST
Environmentalists praised efforts made this year by the district administrations in Delhi to reduce pollution of the Yamuna caused by immersion of Durga idols. However, they add, if Yamuna has to be saved, idol immersion has to be stopped immediately and people have to look for other alternatives.
In all eight enclosures in the national capital provided for idol immersion, district administration has put bamboo-barricades to ensure that the idols do not reach the river. ‘This year, we have also made sure that the idols are pulled out of the enclosure soon after immersion is over. For this, cranes have been arranged in all the authorised immersion enclosures,’ said Kunal, district magistrate (east Delhi).
About 230 idols were immersed in the two enclosures – Mayur Vihar Ghat and Geeta Colony Ghat – in east Delhi. Other arrangements enhanced this year in the enclosures include CCTV cameras, lighting, maintenance of the approach roads, fire and ambulance services and a prepared rescue team, added Kunal.
But, the lead that is used as a major component of the paint in the idol, pollutes the river major. And even if the idols are restricted from flowing into the river, the paint can’t be stopped from polluting it. ‘Another contributor to the Yamuna pollution is plaster-of-paris used in the making of the idols. They shall also get enough time to dissolve into the water by the time the idols are pulled out,’ said VK Jain, environmental activist and founder of the NGO named Tapas.
However, the efforts made by the district administrators this year must be appraised, because the cranes deployed at the enclosures started pulling out the idols immediately after the immersions were over. So there was very less time this year for the pollutants to damage the river, said environmentalist Manoj Mishra, convener of the Yamuna Jiya Abhyan.
Both VK Jain and Mishra said that if river pollution caused by idol immersion is to be stopped, people have to look for other measures. ‘Some puja committees in the Delhi-NCR have already moved a step ahead and immersed idols in pits and tanks arranged on their own,’ they said.
In all eight enclosures in the national capital provided for idol immersion, district administration has put bamboo-barricades to ensure that the idols do not reach the river. ‘This year, we have also made sure that the idols are pulled out of the enclosure soon after immersion is over. For this, cranes have been arranged in all the authorised immersion enclosures,’ said Kunal, district magistrate (east Delhi).
About 230 idols were immersed in the two enclosures – Mayur Vihar Ghat and Geeta Colony Ghat – in east Delhi. Other arrangements enhanced this year in the enclosures include CCTV cameras, lighting, maintenance of the approach roads, fire and ambulance services and a prepared rescue team, added Kunal.
But, the lead that is used as a major component of the paint in the idol, pollutes the river major. And even if the idols are restricted from flowing into the river, the paint can’t be stopped from polluting it. ‘Another contributor to the Yamuna pollution is plaster-of-paris used in the making of the idols. They shall also get enough time to dissolve into the water by the time the idols are pulled out,’ said VK Jain, environmental activist and founder of the NGO named Tapas.
However, the efforts made by the district administrators this year must be appraised, because the cranes deployed at the enclosures started pulling out the idols immediately after the immersions were over. So there was very less time this year for the pollutants to damage the river, said environmentalist Manoj Mishra, convener of the Yamuna Jiya Abhyan.
Both VK Jain and Mishra said that if river pollution caused by idol immersion is to be stopped, people have to look for other measures. ‘Some puja committees in the Delhi-NCR have already moved a step ahead and immersed idols in pits and tanks arranged on their own,’ they said.
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