New Delhi: The Centre has issued strict directives to state governments to take measures to prevent immersion of idols in the Ganga during festivals, including levying a fine of Rs 50,000 and cordoning off ghats.
According to the Indian Express, the 15-point directive was issued by the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG) to chief secretaries in 11 Ganga basin states. “No idol immersion into river Ganga and its tributaries and on their banks,” the directive says. Idols are immersed into rivers during festivals such as Dussehra, Diwali, Chhath, Ganesh Chaturthi and Saraswati Puja.
Last month, representatives of states and NMCG officials met to discuss ways to prevent pollution of the river. According to the newspaper, the chief secretaries of 11 states in the Ganga basin received the directive and were told to strictly implement norms against the immersion of idols and disposal of puja material in the Ganga and its tributaries. They were asked to make suitable alternative arrangements in an “environmental-friendly manner”.
The states that were issued the directive are Uttarakhand, Uttar Prades, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana and Rajasthan.
Apart from the Rs 50,000 fine and cordoning off and barricading ghats, arrangements should be made for “designated idol-immersion sites” by constructing temporary confined ponds with removable synthetic liners at the bottom”.
According to the Indian Express, the directive says:
“All concerned state government, authority, board or corporation should ensure that there is no use of synthetic material/ non-biodegradable material, Plaster of Paris (POP), baked clay, resin fibers and thermocol for making of idols. Besides, the use of toxic and non-biodegradable chemical dyes or synthetic paints for painting of idols should be strictly prohibited.”
The chief secretaries have also been asked to submit an action taken report within seven days after the end of each festival. District magistrates have been tasked to enforce the directives. “If any person violates above directions, then Rs 50,000 as environment compensation should be levied, collected and deposited with State Pollution Control Boards,” it says.
Media reports show that annually, after Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga Puja and Kali Puja, pollution levels in rivers increase dramatically. Commercial idols are made using plaster of Paris (PoP) and coated with harmful paints containing heavy metals. Several states have banned the use of PoP and have encouraged natural paints in a bid to reduce pollution.
In 2014, the central government had launched Namami Gange, a flagship initiative “with a Budget outlay of Rs 20,000 crore to accomplish the twin objectives of effective abatement of pollution, conservation and rejuvenation of National River Ganga”. The Wire reported in April this year that only 18% of the total money collected under the Clean Ganga Fund (CGF) had been spent.