Telangana High Court on Thursday issued a slew of directions, including ban on immersion of Ganesh idols in Hussainsagar and other lakes, that may change the way Ganesh idols are immersed in the State capital this time.
Pronouncing the verdict in a contempt of court plea based on a writ petition seeking protection of Hussainsagar from pollution due to immersion of idols, the HC said immersion of Plaster of Paris ( PoP) Ganesh idols should be allowed only in ‘baby ponds’ already set up by the GHMC. Such idols can also be immersed in separate places or ponds which do not pollute the main water body, a bench of Acting Chief Justice M.S. Ramachandra Rao and Justice T. Vinod Kumar said.
“The government can also explore the use of inflatable rubber dam wall as was used while carrying out dredging operations in Hussainsagar earlier by encircling the area for immersion of idols as an alternative,” the bench said. The bench also made it clear to the authorities that no Ganesh idol should be permitted for immersion from Tank Bund side of Hussainsagar.
However, non-PoP idols not having synthetic paint can be immersed through the other side of the lake like PV Ghat, Secretariat road or Sanjeevaiah park road.
Authorities should encourage people to use eco-friendly and low height idols to check environmental pollution. They should ask people to keep the rituals simple and conduct them without attracting massive crowd, the bench said.
Officials should advise pandal organisers to switch over to online darshan or relay celebrations through social medial platforms, websites or local cable television networks. The bench instructed the government to implement guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board on May 12, 2020.
For next year’s Ganesh festival, appropriate orders in this regard should be issued by March 31, 2022. If this was not complied with, the State Pollution Control Board must ensure the guidelines were adhered to by invoking its statutory powers under Environment Protection Act or Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, the bench said.
