NEW DELHI: Idols of Goddess Durga were immersed in artificial ponds in the national capital on Tuesday, with devotees lauding the initiative of the Delhi government to reduce pollution in the Yamuna.
The artificial ponds were created by the Delhi government in south Delhi’s Astha Kunj and in neighbouring areas of Chittaranjan Park and Greater Kailash for the immersion of Durga idols. People bidding adieu to the goddess at the conclusion of the five-day Durga Puja praised the decision and efforts of the city government.
“This is one of the best moves of the Delhi government. We cannot be messing our rivers, and the biggest thing done was that a pipeline from Sonia Vihar was brought to these ponds, which has a religious value as the water in that area comes from the Ganga,” said Ashim Das, a member of the Navapallo Puja Samittee.
Many puja committees from across south Delhi brought their Durga idols one by one to immerse them in the artificial pond at Astha Kunj. “It was clean, and a great location near a natural park. There were no parking issues either. It was managed well and everyone immersed the idols one by one,” Das added.
Members of the Durga Puja committees, which number around 16 in south Delhi, expressed satisfaction with the efforts of Greater Kailash MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj for organising and managing the immersion of idols in the artificial ponds.
The Delhi government has prohibited immersion of idols in the Yamuna in adherence to observations of a National Green Tribunal-appointed committee last month.Amitabh Bhattacharya, from M Block, Greater Kailash II, was so impressed by the idea of immersing idols in artificial ponds that he said he would suggest to the government that the Astha Kunj pond be made a permanent pond for immersion of idols in south Delhi.