Idol immersion further polluting Ganga water
According to estimates of different environmental groups, around 1,500 idols of Goddess Durga were immersed in the Ganga due to which more than 60,000 kg of toxic material, including thousand kgs of lead and non bio-degradable stuff, were discharged in the river.
The River Ganga is already contaminated due to discharge of city wastes and industrial refuse.
The Board's Chairman Subhas Chand Singh said on Friday, “Out of faith people prefer to immerse idols in sacred River Ganga but due to use of toxic materials nowadays in the idols its water is getting further polluted.”
He said sample of river water was being collected to assess the level of pollution after immersions.
Pollution Board's scientist Navin Kumar said, “Huge quantity of toxic paints and other synthetic materials are used nowadays to give a fancy touch to the idols. Plaster of Paris is opted more than the natural soil in the process. These are adding up pollution level of the water.”
Noted environmentalist R K Sinha, popularly known as the “Dolphin man” said time has come to think of some alternative venues for immersion of idols as it is further polluting Ganga.
A conundrum.
Aditya Mookerjee | 29-Oct-2012Reply | Forward Aren't idols supposed to be immersed after festivals? The reason why people speak about the pollution of our rivers, is because the pollution of our industrial wastes is dumped in our rivers directly. Idols made of mud do not pollute. They are supposed to be made of mud.
immersion
vikram | 29-Oct-2012Reply | Forward I feel brother mookerjee hasn't seen idols the amount of toxic coats on the surface and the flowers. what is needed is the awareness. Sorry to say that in the name of faith we pollute water through immersion, air through Diwali crackers, What else that is why Indian rivers are the dirtiest in the world so called 'Holy Ganges' is most polluted.
Bharat
swami | 09-Jan-2013Reply | Forward So the solution is to make the idols of mud and to use organic colors only. The festival of diwali is basically celebrated by lighting divas with natural oils which release chemicals which purifies the air. All Hindu festivals are basically celebrated by lights. Music is for utsav.
