Navarathri festivals ended on a high, West Bengal was lauded for their peaceful handling of two festivals (Muharram and Navaratri were on the same day). And then there were idol immersions on the banks of south Delhi’s Kalindi Kunj Ghat and north Delhi’s Nigam Bodh Ghat. Despite the warnings of many environmentalists, there was little thought to what the idol immersions would mean to the River Yamuna once the festivities were over.
Half submerged idols of Durga, most of them made of Plaster of Paris (PoP), were seen. The river water also saw a sea of plastic bags floating with glass bangles, flower petals and other decorations made of metal and plastic.
Hans Raj, 35, a lifeguard sieving the debris to the shore, said that most of the idols immersed on Saturday and Sunday were made of PoP.
“Idols made of PoP do not dissolve in water, unlike idols made from mud. We also find it difficult to pull them out because the broken idols pierce our hands and feet and often cause grievous injuries,” he said.
The green court had in 2015 placed a complete ban on the use of PoP and paints with high levels of lead for making idols, which are known to cause serious damage to the soil and water of the ecologically-sensitive area when immersed.
Guidelines were also issued by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in 2010 and by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC), which have largely been unheeded.
Officials from the Delhi Police, who are responsible for ensuring the safety of devotees during the idol immersions, said that idols are immersed from over 200 Durga Puja pandals across the city. Idols worshipped at home are also brought for immersion.
There are four major ghats in Delhi: Kalindi Kunj, Geeta Ghat, Kudsia Ghat and Ram Ghat.
Officials from the south and north Delhi municipal corporations said that cleaning of the ghats commenced early on Sunday morning.
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