HYDERABAD: The Bhagyanagar Ganesh Utsav Samithi (BGUS), on Saturday, found fault with the State government for not putting forth evidence submitted by the EPTRI and TSPCB to explain to the Telangana High Court how PoP Ganesh idols don’t pollute water bodies. The office bearers of the association quoted previous High Court judgements from 2001, wherein a report by the EPTRI was produced.
BGUS general secretary Bhagvanth Rao condemned the High Court for dictating terms in matters of faith.
“The court has no business intervening in matters of religion and how certain practises are carried out. It can’t tell us how the Ganesh puja should be conducted and how idols should be immersed,” he said.
The general secretary said that they were limiting the number of pandals and idols and conducting the rituals in a low-key manner, keeping in mind the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The court’s verdict is highly objectionable. The Ganesh festival is part of the Hindu religious customs, which are being practised since time immemorial,” Bhagvanth Rao said. The BGUS further claimed that reports showed that there was no difference in the water quality in lakes even 60 days after the immersion of PoP idols.
“There is no report to substantiate the claim that Ganesh idols are polluting water bodies. Hussainsagar is polluted mainly due to sewage and industrial flow from four nalas, and not because of idol immersion, which happens once a year,” the BGUS said.
RESTRAINED IMMERSION
Ganesh idol immersion on NTR Marg or towards People’s Plaza on PVNR Marg will be permitted. The idol immersions shuld be carried out in accordance with directives issued by the High Court in CC (SR) No. 3139 of 2014. The Ganesh immersion on Tank Bund Road will be permitted after 10 pm only on September 12