CHENNAI: As devotees bid adieu to Lord Vinayakar for another year, around 150 tonnes of waste including wooden sticks, bottles, food and flower waste have been generated from the processions and the various designated immersion spots in the city.
The corporation workers removed about 110 tonnes of waste on Monday. Around 50 idols that were lying on the shore were immersed by the workers, said officials. As part of the Vinayakar Chaturthi procession, permission was given for 2,148 idols to be immersed. According to the corporation, more than 1,300 idols were immersed on Sunday. The corporation had deployed sanitation workers to clear waste that accumulated along the seashore.
Idols made of plaster of paris (PoP) were a major concern among environmentalists. Although the ban on idols made from PoP continues in the state, they were seen in procession and immersion spots. “It is apparent that PoP idols were immersed. Government regulations and court orders were disregarded and banned idols were used. Violators should be identified and booked.
The government should not allow the procession if it cannot be held in an environmentally sustainable way,” said G Sundarrajan of Poovulagin Nanbargal. Meanwhile, corporation officials said they were tasked to clear the waste and immerse the idols left behind on the shores but did not monitor the immersion of PoP idols. Another senior corporation official said the situation is much better than last year and assured to take the matter up with higher officials.