SAMBALPUR: With Ganesh Puja drawing to a close, preparation for grand farewell is underway. But the city is yet to gear up for pollution of water bodies caused by immersion of idols.Being a community puja, around 150 pandals came up in the city this year. Besides business establishments, coaching centres and homes also celebrated.
Considering that more than 400 idols would be immersed in river Mahanadi and other water bodies as per practice, the Sambalpur Municipal Corporation (SMC) is yet to come up with an environment-friendly immersion strategy. Though the number of Ganesh Puja pandals has gone up over the years, the SMC has not planned artificial ponds.
Usually, idols from the pandals are immersed in the Mahanadi flowing under the PC bridge en route Burla. Since last year, the bigger idols are immersed in the Mahanadi near the new Chaurpur bridge while the households prefer the nearest water body.
Noted Convenor of Odisha Water Initiatives Ranjan Panda said awareness alone is not enough to prevent water pollution during festivals. “Equal responsibility lies with the civic bodies in terms of setting up the appropriate infrastructure. While the civic body in the Capital has been constructing artificial ponds for Ganesh immersion for the last few years, it should be made mandatory for all civic bodies across the State,” he said.
“People are ignorant of the extent of contamination in natural water bodies caused by idol immersion. The chemical colours used for idols are harmful. Besides, the idols made here usually have Plaster of Paris, plastic adhesives and other materials which do not decompose easily and have a long-term impact,” added Panda.
Elaborating on the preferred mode of festivity, Panda advocated the dual strategy of monitoring the making of eco-friendly idols as well as making artificial ponds for immersion. He also gave instances of celebrations in Varanasi and down South where organic idols are recycled and used as compost for plants. “Spiritual gurus and priests must promote the practice if idol recycling,” he said.