In a first, KMC holds pollution-free immersion using wash & melt mode

Kolkata: Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) for the first time this year held a successful trial for pollution-free immersion by adopting wash and melt mode using raw water for washing off the idols at Doi Ghat in Kolkata.

Nine idols of Devi Durga and her entourage were immersed through this technique as Chairman Board of Administrators, Kolkata Municipal Corporation Firhad Hakim was present on Friday to supervise the same.

A hosepipe was used to splash raw water to melt the idols instead of immersing them in the river.

The clay was channelised through a drainage line into the sewage treatment plant. This prevented lead or similar pollutants from mixing with the river water curbing pollution.

Similar technique was adopted by Tridhara Akalbodhon near Deshapriya Park in south Kolkata and Behala Adarsha Pally to prevent harmful chemicals used in making of idols getting mixed with river water. Temporary reservoirs were made and the idols were immersed through wash and melt model.

"Apart from this, we have adequate payloaders and cranes in the ghats for lifting the structures of the idols immediately after immersion to curb water pollution. There are designated bins where flowers and leaves should be dumped before taking the idols to the water," Debasish Kumar, Member BOA in charge of Parks & Squares department of Kolkata Municipal Corporation said.

Immersion will take place on Sunday and Monday too.

In a bid to curb pollution Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port has made suitable arrangements at the ghats by deploying pontoon mounted crane , mechanized boats (3 each ghat), barricading by ropes, availability of launch each, and sufficient amount of manpower for pulling the immerses idols ashore, soon after immersion, so as to be picked up by the recyclers on the awaiting lorries.

The West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) has given special emphasis to minimise the effect of water pollution in strict adherence to the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) immersion guidelines.